Wildfire
by Funara
Summary: AU, Hiei x Kurama. After a shocking ascension to the throne, Kurama struggles with his emperorship, when a mysterious Orb disappears in his kingdom, forcing him to join with the soldiers Hiei, Yuusuke and Kuwabara, to retrieve the Orb and protect Gandara.
1. The Coronation

**Wildfire**

Chapter one: The Coronation

By Funara

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho cast, sadly. I do however own the badly personified original characters in this story, who will all most likely play minor roles and be used as shallow plot devices.

Notes: This is an AU, in case you didn't notice the summary, and it's shounen-ai, Hiei/Kurama, like all my other stories. Multipart, too. This one will probably contain very, very small snippets of Yuusuke/Keiko and/or Kuwabara/Yukina. And, like the disclaimer said, there will be a host of original characters, but no, they will not hook up with or hit on any of the main characters. Instead, they will probably be horribly cast and serve as instruments through which I can indulge my tar-and-feathering fetish--I mean, advance the story.

Hopefully, you haven't run away screaming by now. For those of you still here, please read and review!

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Wildfires are dangerous things. A moment of carelessness, a spark left to burn. Maybe it wasn't even a foolish error. Maybe the fire was well-tended. But within the next heartbeat, the winds can change it into a towering conflagration. It sweeps through everything, leaving nothing untouched, spurred on by the gales that gave it power.

Life can be like that too.

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Kurama lifted the long curtain covering part of the side of the open carriage and looked outside. The long, newly tilled fields, common after they had left the outskirts of the city, showed signs of green sprouts. At this time of year, the peasants would have planted most of their crops and would be hoping for rain. His stomach clenched at the thought, and he let go of the drape, letting it flutter in the breeze created by the moving carriage.

Six years ago, he would have been one of those villagers, helping his mother plant their garden and hoping for rain. He might have walked the three miles from his village to the bustling capital where he went to school, watching the clouds for signs of rain.

But six years ago, he had met Yomi, the new professor of politics at Kurama's small school. Yomi had been impressed with Kurama's apparent understanding of the political system, though Kurama had not seen why at the time.

_"What is the most important emotion a people must feel toward an emperor in order for that emperor to be successful?"_

_"Fear."_

_Pause. "Why?"_

_"Because an emperor is an absolute ruler. If he is feared, no one will question his policies, no matter how brutal." _

It had been a simple enough for an answer, but perhaps Yomi had been interested by it, because Gandara's emperor had recently attempted political reform. Fear was what had worked in the past, but the current ideology advocated respect and understanding.

Yomi had given no indication of the growing of this interest until about a year after he had arrived. That year was the first year that the emperor had implemented civil service exams for all prospective government officials. Yomi had taken one and had placed among the top handful of scorers. He had been invited to the royal palace.

_"I will reside in the palace for several years. I want you to accompany me, as an apprentice."_

He had been shocked. He had never once considered politics as a field into which he wished to enter and had tried to tell his mother and stepfather so. They had not agreed with him, though; they had already been swayed by Yomi's assurances that Kurama would learn a great deal and that he would be taken care of.

_"Oh, Kurama, you're already sixteen! You're old enough to take care of yourself, and it's time you left our village to see other places."_

Kurama lived in the palace for five years, leaving every once in a while to visit the market or his family. During that time, he rarely saw Yomi, who had been appointed as an imperial advisor, and he doubted if he had ever laid eyes on the emperor himself. The courtiers he often saw did not pay much attention to him, dismissing him as "Yomi's boy".

He observed them, though, and realized how true his own words had been when he had answered "fear" to Yomi's question. The hierarchy of the courtiers was determined not by the quality of their service, but by how much the emperor favored them. And they employed merciless means to get into his good graces, threatening each other with rumors and scandal. Political reform seemed unlikely.

And then, the emperor had died.

Turmoil had erupted within the palace as an heir was sought. A search of the emperor's papers turned up no living children or designated successors. Eventually, someone had proposed that the next emperor be elected by using the same civil service examinations that the deceased emperor had promoted. Anyone within the palace could take the exam, and the highest scorer would become the emperor.

Yomi was that highest scorer, and the courtiers, whether they liked it or not, were forced to accept him as their new ruler. Although Kurama had not been allowed to attend the coronation, he had caught a glimpse of Yomi as he had entered his carriage, clad in the regalia of a king. His expression had been solemn, but triumphant.

That triumph scarcely lasted beyond his coronation. Within days, he fell ill, and though no one dared say it aloud, most believed that he had been poisoned. He showed no signs of recovery, and it was thought that he would die quickly, heirless, like his predecessor.

However, Yomi was better prepared than his peers had thought. Kurama remembered well what Yomi had said to him the last night he had seen him alive.

_"You shall succeed me as emperor."_

_Shock. "How can I? I have no experience!"_

_Weak smirk. "You have lived here for years, have you not? You have the potential to be a powerful leader; use it. You will learn."_

Kurama looked at his hands, folded elegantly in his lap, like a true emperor.

Yomi had gathered the six advisors he had intended to make his cabinet and informed them of his decision. They had looked dubious as they glanced at Kurama, the young man who would be their next emperor, but had dutifully made the necessary arrangements. Yomi passed away and was buried soon after.

The neigh of the horses and the abrupt slowing of the carriage pulled Kurama from his thoughts. A group of villagers had gathered along the roadside, and the driver was forced to slow down so as to avoid hitting any of them.

"Move aside, move aside! This is the imperial carriage! Do not block our way!"

"Is that the emperor? He's so young!"

"He's supposed to be—I think he was student of the one who got elected, then died."

"Where's he going? The holy shrine?"

"Aa. He's going to be crowned there."

Kurama glanced at them as the carriage passed by, their tanned faces full of curiosity. In a few hours, these people would be his subjects. Their well-being was his responsibility. And although he was not unused to such a burden, he dreaded it.

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The temple was located on top of a small hill, a few miles from the surrounding villages and towns. It wasn't particularly big, since it was only used for coronations and annual festivals. The temple's structure was rather unusual in that the entire building was shaped like a heptagon, with the odd side being the main entrance. Each side of the heptagon contained a door, and the sloped roof was supported by seven red pillars, each one placed at the junction of two sides.

Seven carriages had arrived at the temple, one of them containing Kurama and the other six his advisors. Nobody else was allowed to attend the ceremony. Each carriage stopped in front of a door, and the occupant exited. Kurama's carriage had paused in front of the main entrance. He got out, ascended the steps and pushed open the ornately designed wooden door.

The exterior of the building had revealed little about the interior, but once he was inside, Kurama saw that the temple had a very simple design. A short hallway led from each entrance to the middle of the temple. The only source of light was a circular opening in the ceiling right above the center of the temple.

Kurama approached the end of the passageway and saw that his six advisors had already gathered, forming a semicircle. Kurama hesitated briefly before the edge of the group, but advanced when they separated to let him pass. Five of them stood around him—the sixth one, a tall, serious looking man with strong features and silvery hair, stood directly below the opening in the ceiling. Just behind him was a magnificent stone statue of a wolf, his head raised and his fierce eyes fixed on the archway through which Kurama had entered. The god Sosen. Around the statue was a shallow circular pool, about two feet in width.

The silvery haired man turned as Kurama stopped in front of him and gestured towards the pool. "Look," he said simply.

Kurama glanced at his reflection. It was a little different from that morning, when he had donned his ceremonial robes and observed himself in the mirror. The nervousness he had seen, unusual for him, had passed beneath the calm exterior he was accustomed to wearing. All of his features, from his long red hair to his vibrant green eyes to his light, healthy skin had been set off well by the black, gold-embroidered outer robe that he wore. The white silk inner robe had peeked out from the sleeves and the collar.

"That is the reflection of a boy," said the tall man. "Know that that boy will never again exist." Kurama said nothing. "Come, kneel with me." He knelt down before the pool, and Kurama followed. "Do you see the inscription on the statue's base?" Kurama nodded. "Read it."

"Under the guidance of our celestial lord Sosen, I accept the title of emperor of the kingdom of Gandara. I will protect the wellbeing of my people and my land and uphold the sacred covenant through which the people of Gandara have been able to prosper."

The room was silent as Kurama finished reading and fully absorbed what he had read. His silver-haired advisor rose, as did Kurama. They faced each other as the former drew out a golden disc with a hole in the center, attached to a silken cord. Kurama bowed his head as the other placed it over his head.

"This disc bears the names of your predecessors, Your Majesty. Keep it safe." He pointed towards the pool of water, and Kurama looked at his reflection once again. When he turned back, the head advisor had rejoined his companions, and all six of them were kneeling around him. This time, a middle-aged, black bearded man on the opposite end of the semi-circle spoke.

"Your Majesty, we are your six guides. I am Matashima."

The next man, a shorter one with a strange scar snaking across his neck, introduced himself as well. "Anju, Your Highness."

"My name is Homura, "said the next, a broad shouldered man with a braid trailing down his back.

Oshiki was the name of the fourth, a shrewd-looking scholar. The second to last, Kaishou, was a quiet, white haired old man. And finally, the sixth one was the silver haired, strong featured man who had performed the ceremony.

"Tojin, Your Majesty."

"I am honored," Kurama said, the words slipping out easily after the weeks of practice he had undergone. With that statement, he waited for the six of them to rise and preceded them through the main entrance of the temple, to the outside, where the carriages would be waiting to take them back to the capital and Kurama's new jurisdiction.

—to be continued—

Notes: I know, I know, it was awful. But stick around and I promise it gets better. (Yeah, right.) No, really. A very optimistic and probably false schedule for this story is for me to post a chapter every week or so, but it really depends on you readers. Support will generate more chapters. (OK, transparent plea, here.) Basically, feedback is more than welcome—it's über-welcome. So, review, ne?


	2. Spark and Tinder

**Wildfire**

Chapter two: Spark and Tinder

By Funara

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, but I'm working on it. In a few millennia, I may own the top of Hiei's right ear…though I doubt it. Right now, I only own this fic and the nameless, bland, original characters who have the misfortune to be in this story.

Notes: First off, a big thank you to those of you who reviewed chapter one. You all made my day! Thanks to all! And on the subject of thanks, thanks to mocha-chan for providing me with lots of detailed information on Yomi (despite which I still mangled his character) and Natatsu-chan, my little sister, who will be costume designer for this story. (Most of the time)

All right, you all probably just want to read this next chapter, but just one more warning: Mukuro appears in this chapter, but since I can't write her character for my life, there's a high chance that she's OOC. Sorry.

And now, onto the fic! Read and review!

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The imperial palace was designed so as to be confusing. The main entrance to the large group of buildings that comprised the palace did not point directly towards any particular building, but rather the entire cluster. Most of the buildings looked similar—same roof style, same crimson columns, same intricately painted doors.

As Kurama wound his way confidently through the structures, he remembered that he had once heard a scholar say that the imperial palace's architecture mirrored the personalities of the courtiers and nobles within. They were every bit as beautiful and perplexing as the buildings in which they lived.

Kurama disagreed. The palace was difficult to navigate, but for the most part, there was nothing hidden from the eye. It was only the sameness of the buildings that confused visitors. Once mapped out, nothing changed. The courtiers, on the other hand, hid everything behind a respectful demeanor, so that the true personality underneath was completely mutable.

That was what made them so dangerous, especially to Kurama who, ideally, should have been able to count on them as supporters. Doubtless many of them had been eyeing the throne after the demise of first Saruda—Yomi's predecessor—then Yomi himself. He would have to prove to them his competence and earn their regard if he wanted to succeed.

He intended to accomplish that today. In the month or so since his coronation, nothing especially important had come up—he had merely signed official documents and met with his six advisors, who, at least, seemed to like him. Today Mukuro, the empress of Alaric, the larger neighboring country, was to arrive at the palace to officially recognize the new emperor and initiate talks between the two countries.

Earlier that morning, he had met with his two advisors who were best versed in foreign policy and history: Oshiki, the scholar, and Kaishou, the white-bearded old man. In two hours, they had explained Gandara's history of relations with Alaric, their common problems and disputes, described the personality of the current empress, and related the most recent reason why Gandara and Alaric had recently been engaging in negotiations. Oshiki and Kaishou had assured him that the matter would be summarized once the conference had begun, but Kurama had wanted to be fully informed ahead of time.

The main entrance to the palace came into view as Kurama rounded a corner. Sixteen guards, armor polished and lances glinting, were positioned there, as were the three main generals of the army. The ten highest seats in the royal assembly, the body with representatives from every parts of Gandara, were also present, as were Kurama's personal advisors.

One of the generals approached Kurama and bowed. "Your Majesty, a messenger arrived a few minutes ago. Mukuro-sama will be arriving shortly." Kurama nodded, and the man left to check on his other troops.

Scarcely five minutes later, a far off shout was heard, barely discernible over the sound of galloping hoofs. Kurama moved to the right side of the entrance, his advisors behind him. The members of the royal assembly stood at the other side.

When the procession was a dozen yards away from the entrance, the horses slowed down and walked to the gate. The two horses in front bore, respectively, an orange-haired woman in a deep blue, almost black, tunic, red belt around her waist, and what appeared to be a general, fully armored. Both individuals had striking countenances, the woman because one of her eyes was clearly synthetic, and the man because of the four earrings that pierced his jaw. From the description given by Kaishou, Kurama immediately recognized the woman as Mukuro.

Mukuro and her general dismounted, and she approached Kurama and extended a hand. "Kurama-san. I congratulate you on your emperorship." Kurama shook her hand, a little surprised by the informality of the gesture and her clothing.

Mukuro motioned to her general and identified him as Shigure. He bowed in response, not bothering to take off his helmet.

Kurama's three generals moved forward to guide the Alaric soldiers to their quarters as Kurama himself led Mukuro and Shigure to the palace. "Welcome to Gandara, Mukuro-san. There will be a banquet tonight in your honor. Tomorrow, our negotiations will begin." Mukuro nodded her agreement as they proceeded towards the main building.

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The next morning found Kurama, Mukuro, Shigure and Kaishou gathered in a small discussion chamber. They were seated at a round table of dark wood.

Kurama, as host, opened the official talks. "Let it be known that on this day the imperial representatives of Alaric and Ganda—" but Mukuro interrupted.

"I don't think that that is really necessary, Kurama-san. Such official speech is usually reserved for larger ceremonies."

Kurama's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. Even he knew, with the brief coaching in etiquette he had been given, that interrupting the opening of official ceremonies—which these talks most certainly were—was frowned upon and rude. Surely Mukuro would know that, he thought, gazing at her. For a moment, her tone had even been condescending…

He let it go. "Very well then."

Mukuro proceeded. "Doubtless, everyone present already knows of the matter with which these negotiations deal, but I will briefly summarize anyway." Her real eye flicked towards Kurama.

"Thousands of years ago, when Gandara and Alaric were one nation, there appeared among our people an Orb of great power. Stories were handed down that the Orb granted longevity, prosperity and luck to those who used it. Some went so far as to say that the Orb was a gift from our god Sosen to the people.

"However, a few hundred years ago, an incident occurred that obliterated an entire group of mountains and the people who lived on it. Neighboring tribes claimed that they had witnessed a white explosion. There were no survivors, but investigations showed that the areas around the site had absorbed a special kind of energy. This energy was identified as originating from the Orb, which was found nearby. Since then, the Orb has been kept by Sosen no miko and banned from use."

Kurama listened quietly. He had heard this story from Oshiki the day before.

"Now, though, Alaric has a proposition for Gandara." Mukuro fixed her gaze on Kurama. "We are an enormously large country and for a while now, we have been running low on energy sources. Our natural resources have been rapidly declining, and soon, our people will be unable to use fire, because they will have nothing to burn.

"The Orb's energy, as our ancestors saw, is extremely potent. If we had the ability to harness that energy, neither Gandara nor Alaric would have to worry about energy crises. Our proposal is that the energy be extracted from the Orb and used to serve international interests."

Kurama folded his hands and considered for a moment, frowning slightly. "I understand very well what your goal is, but how do you propose to obtain the energy in the first place? From what you have said, the repercussions of unleashing that energy are far greater than the benefits."

Mukuro smirked slightly. "Alaric has been doing some preliminary investigations, headed by a monk from the dou branch of the Kyoudou monastery." Kurama raised an eyebrow.

"The Kyoudou monastery was founded by a man known only as Kyo," came Kaishou's voice, a little raspy from nonuse. "The dou branch specializes in exactly what its name says—energy."

Mukuro continued. "Technical details aside, this monk contrived of a theoretical means to isolate energy from the Orb, which was, unfortunately, left untested at the time of his death. Our hope is to procure another monk from his branch who will aid us. Incidentally, the dou branch is located in Gandara, which is why we requested your assistance. And besides," she added, "Gandara and Alaric have always been allies."

Kurama rested his chin on his hands briefly, gaze still fixed on Mukuro. "This proposition is…promising, Mukuro-san. However, I cannot give you a definite answer until I have consulted with the royal assembly."

"Go ahead," she said. "But consider Alaric's proposal carefully."

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Kurama had donned an elegant, dark green robe with an intricate, pale yellow design sewn on the front. He slipped the golden disk over his head, its weight reminiscent of his own burden of responsibility, and left his quarters for the forum where he would meet with the thirty members of the royal assembly.

When he reached the doors of the building, outwardly similar to its neighbors, he paused a moment before entering. The thirty representatives inside, chosen by each of the thirty provinces of Gandara, transferred information to and from the throne. Their influence was indubitable, and though Gandara's government was a monarchy, they often determined whether or not the emperor's policies would be successful. Gaining their support was crucial.

The main chamber of the forum contained thirty seven seats, with thirty of them arranged in arcs of ten, and the other seven arranged in another arc opposite the thirty. About two thirds of the seats had already been filled when Kurama entered, and his six advisors were already there. He took the middle seat between them.

When the last representative had taken his seat, the doors were closed tightly. Homura, the broad shouldered man with the braided hair, rose from his seat at the left end of Kurama's arc of seven. "His Majesty has gathered the royal assembly with the purpose of discussing a proposal made to Gandara by Alaric. This proposal entailed the use of the Orb of Sosen's energy as an alternative to conventional methods. Gandara's cooperation was requested in the matter of asking the aid of the dou branch of the Kyoudou monks. His Majesty will speak first."

Kurama rose as Homura sat down. After the previous day's negotiations, he had spent a while going over the main points of the offer, weighing pros and cons, and had made his decision. He had ended up following the first reaction he'd had. "As all of you know, it is necessary for Gandara to conserve its natural resources, and so far, we have been able to do so. Alaric, as a larger country, has been unable to keep its usage of resources in check. As a result, they have expressed the desire to exploit the energy contained within the sacred Orb.

"This is not a practical option. So little is known about the volatile energy that attempting to remove and use it is foolhardy, especially since the means proposed is only hypothetical and has not been tested. It is best to refuse Alaric's offer." Kurama sat down.

A tall, brown-haired representative signaled to Homura, who nodded, and stood. "Your Majesty, I must disagree with you. Surely the pursuit of alternate energy sources is worthy, even if it requires a little risk. It is something that will benefit our posterity for generations."

Kurama glanced at the end of the row, and Homura nodded once. "Sir, the last time the Orb was unleashed, the effects were devastating. An entire region was eradicated. That is an indisputable cause for apprehension."

A young man with short, tufty black hair rose to speak. "But Your Highness! Alaric merely requires our cooperation in a small matter! And we would reap the benefits anyway!"

"There's no progress without risk!"

"It's not as though we're sending soldiers or engaging in war. No one will be killed."

"Alaric must have tested it before they came to us. They wouldn't have come only on a conjectural premise."

Kurama answered their arguments. "It is simply too dangerous and too abstract to consider. How would the energy be contained? How would we change it to a useable form? And besides, " he said as he suddenly realized something, "if Alaric were to conduct these tests, would they not take the lion's share of any possible gains?"

There was an uproar of noise. "Alaric would never betray us! We've been allies for too long!"

"There are ways to control the energy! Of course we're not going to let it run amok!"

In the front row, a sly looking man leaned toward his companion and said, somehow audible to Kurama despite the noise, "Such a conservative, this young emperor. Afraid to take risks. Probably not very hardy, either." His companion smirked slightly.

Kurama felt anger and impulsive hatred welling up inside of him, and began to retort when Homura roared, "SILENCE!"

The forum went abruptly silent as the tumult drained out of the air. Homura's expression was hard and furious as he glared at everyone. "This is a government assembly! You will respect your emperor and your fellows, or you will be removed forcibly from this room! This is ridiculous!"

The stillness, fragile and saturated with guilt and embarrassment, settled as everyone tried not to make eye contact with the master of ceremonies, who still wore an infuriated expression.

The doors burst open explosively. Heads jerked towards the doorway and a messenger, preceded by a guard, stumbled through and fell on his knees before the assembly. "Y-your Majesty, Kurama-sama! Near the village of Honetadare! Sosen no miko—she—she's badly hurt! And the Orb has been stolen!"

—to be continued—

Sosen no miko: the priestess of Sosen. Yes, this is the same god Sosen who appeared in my fic _ Swing._ Different time period, though.

Notes: So, how was it? These earlier chapters will be a little heavy on the politics and current problems, but it'll go away soon. Next chapter, Hiei is introduced.


	3. The Repossession of Honetadare

**Wildfire**

Chapter three: The Repossession of Honetadare

By Funara

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the YYH characters. And I'm beginning to doubt that I ever will. I do own all the original characters though.

Notes: Sorry this took so long to get out, but I've been a little lazy and a little busy. However, this chapter has now been finished, so read, enjoy and review! Oh yeah, and by the way, this chapter has some Kuwabara/Yukina in it.

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"Y-your Majesty, Kurama-sama! Near the village of Honetadare! Sosen no miko—she—she's badly hurt! And the Orb has been stolen!"

For a moment, every eye was locked on the messenger as they sat, frozen in their seats. Then, as reactions struggled to the surface, a sudden wave of noise crashed down as several representatives leapt to their feet.

"No!"

"That's not possible!"

Kurama hurried to the messenger's side, Tojin right behind him. He knelt next to the messenger, Tojin on the man's other side, and grasped his arm. "How did it happen? Who told you?"

The herald, nervous and shaking, breathed slowly before answering, "One of our scouts rode to the palace, Sire. He—he saw it happen, I think."

"From whose division? Did you recognize him?"

"I-I don't know, Your Majesty—but he was wearing our uniform." Kurama let his arm go and briefly met Tojin's glance over the herald's head. His chief advisor looked grim.

Kurama and Tojin swept out of the forum as Homura said, unnecessarily, "Meeting adjourned." They hastened toward the main entrance, their strides long and hurried. Tojin turned towards Kurama.

"It could be a false alarm, Your Majesty. We don't have verification that it was indeed one of our soldiers."

"I know," Kurama replied, eyes forward. "But I intend to find out."

The main gate was thronged with guards as Kurama and Tojin approached. A cry of "His Majesty the Emperor!" dispersed them, and Kurama observed a general and a lieutenant kneeling next to the scout, who was panting heavily. The general stood up and saluted Kurama.

"Your Highness, he's in no condition to talk. He rode and ran the twenty miles from Honetadare to here."

"You know him then? He is one of ours?"

The general nodded. "Shiba took some of his men out scouting. He's one of them."

Then the situation was definitely real. Kurama addressed the general again. "Do you know the way to Honetadare?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. Bring out four horses, and send someone to alert Mukuro-san and Shigure-san of the situation. Take some of your best men. We're going to Honetadare." The general bowed.

As the soldiers left to do as they had been told, Tojin said quietly to Kurama, "Is it a good idea to involve Alaric, Your Majesty?"

Kurama turned slightly towards him. "This is an international matter. It's their concern as well."

Tojin was silent as the four saddled horses were brought to the front gate, along with Mukuro and Shigure, both already dressed appropriately. They said nothing, and Kurama assumed they had been told what was going on. The four of them mounted, as did the general and ten of his men. He took the lead, Kurama and the rest behind him as sixty hooves pounded the packed earth.

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The horses had been galloping for over half an hour, their bright chestnut coats gleaming with sweat. The capital city was behind them, as were the green fields on its outskirts. They were nearing Honetadare, a village that rested on the border between Alaric and Gandara.

The general slowed down his horse, and the others followed suit, as the band approached the forest beyond which lay Honetadare. They cantered slowly, single file, alert and watchful.

The sudden thump of hooves made the general throw out his arm. "Halt!" All gazes were directed towards the forest, bodies tense. The hoofbeats had slowed to cautious clop-clops. The general spoke again. "State your title!"

"Shiba, fourth general under his Majesty the Emperor of Gandara!" Four horses emerged among the foliage, one of them carrying the speaker, a robust man, lightly armored. He looked unsurprised, but relieved, at the sight of Kurama and the others. "I recognized your voice, Warade."

Warade looked equally relieved. He turned to Kurama. "This is Shiba, Your Majesty. My younger brother, and also a general." Kurama smiled a little at Warade's pride. Shiba bowed as much as he could while still staying on his horse.

Kurama urged his horse forward, next to Warade. "I'm honored to meet you, Shiba-san, but I'm afraid there are pressing matters at hand." His lingering smile changed into seriousness. "One of your scouts came back to the capital with news that the Orb had been stolen. Can you tell us what happened?"

Shiba ran a hand over his face before sighing and answering. "It's true, Your Majesty. In fact, we were just returning from Honetadare." Kurama stiffened, but Shiba noting the movement, continued, "There's no point in going there. A couple days ago, we heard rumors that the village had been taken over by a secret organization, so we went to investigate. Turns out, the rumors are true. We can't get into the village—there are defenses everywhere, and we figured we'd inform you—Your Majesty—first and wait for orders. But one of the villagers we ran into, who somehow got out, said that he saw an explosion. When he went to check it out, he found a woman with Sosen's symbol on her cheek, bruised and bleeding. She passed out, but before that, she told him that the Orb had been stolen."

"Sou ka," said Kurama. "But what happened to the woman—Sosen no miko?"

Shiba shrugged helplessly. "We don't know, Your Majesty. The villager went to get water for her, but when he got back, she'd disappeared. And we can't find the villager either now."

Tojin rode forward. "So we don't know what happened to either the Orb or Sosen no miko?"

"That's correct, sir."

"Do you know who took over the village?" The voice was Mukuro's.

Shiba turned, not recognizing her. "Yes…we do." He glanced at Kurama. "The organization is led by a black market merchant named Tarukane Gonzo."

Kurama inhaled sharply. "Tarukane? A member of the Black Black Club?" He remembered well the stories he had heard from the local merchants—stories detailing the lives of the crime lords who formed the Black Black Club and the hideous betting matches they held.

Shiba nodded. "Aa. That's the one."

Kurama furrowed his brow, pondering. It was unwise to try and get into the village now, when they only had a handful of soldiers, and yet, the longer they remained inactive, the worse the situation would become. Kurama turned towards the others. "There's nothing we can do here. We'll return to the palace and discuss it there."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Their party, increased by four, turned around and began to gallop back to the palace.

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Kurama, Mukuro and Tojin sat around a table in a room similar to the one where the Orb negotiations had taken place. Except now the situation had veered out of the hypothetical and into the drastically real.

"There is little choice but to send troops to Honetadare," said Kurama. "The chances are high that the Orb could be located there, or at least Sosen no miko. And the village needs to be freed."

Mukuro leaned back in her chair. "Then Alaric will also provide troops. However, I think it is best if I return to Alaric before sending a force to Honetadare. I don't wish to relay my orders back and forth."

"Ii yo ne." A very slight burden lifted itself off his shoulders. "When will your troops be prepared?"

"A few days. I will send word."

Kurama and Mukuro stood up and shook hands over the table. "I appreciate your aid, Mukuro-san," Kurama felt obligated to say.

Mukuro made a careless gesture. "This is a matter that concerns both our countries."

The three of them exited the room, Mukuro to prepare to for her departure, Kurama and Tojin to tell the rest of the decision.

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The day dawned cool and crisp on the morning that Alaric and Gandara's forces were to take back the village of Honetadare. Kurama, clad in his sleeping robe, sat on the bed for a few minutes, watching as the seemingly pale sunlight melted away the night, before getting dressed.

Mukuro had sent word, as she had promised, informing Kurama of when her soldiers would be ready.

_ In three days' time, I will send my soldiers to Honetadare. They will approach from the Alaric border and gain entrance to the village by whatever means necessary. Civilian casualties will be kept to a minimum, and the aim will be to both retrieve the Orb and the priestess as well as to capture Tarukane and his key followers._

He'd sent a messenger back, complying with her message. And ordered Shiba and Warade to select a group of about seventy soldiers, just to be on the safe side. Neither he nor Mukuro knew how many guards Tarukane might have.

Kurama shut the door behind him quietly and started for the main gate, where the soldiers would be gathering. In the distance, he could hear the sound of the gong and the drums, the traditional wake-up calls for the soldiers living in the barracks.

When he arrived at the entrance, there were the dozen or so usual guards stationed there, several of them engaged in conversation with a man dressed in a black tunic. The man turned at the sound of Kurama's footsteps, and Kurama recognized him as Anju, one of his imperial advisors.

"Ah, Your Majesty," he began, his voice naturally low but pleasant, "good morning." He cocked his head a little, the mannerism slightly out of place. "You are up very early."

"I intended to see the soldiers out."

Anju smiled. "You have risen before your own conscripts, Your Majesty. Have you had breakfast yet?" Kurama shook his head. "Then let us have breakfast and return when all is ready." He nodded to the guards, who saluted him, and approached Kurama. The two of them turned to the breakfast hall.

Kurama glanced sideways at Anju. His most distinctive feature was certainly the deep gash that snaked its way across his neck, but the harsh personality that the scar seemed to demand belied his amiable aura. A man of contrasts.

"We don't see each other often, Your Majesty."

Kurama met his gaze. "That's true. I don't see everyone on a day to day basis."

"Let me introduce myself properly then. I am Anju, as you know, and I was overseer of the imperial army for six years before Yomi-san chose me as one of his advisors."

He didn't quite look the part, but Kurama was sure that his friendly manner could quickly give way to authoritativeness. "Were you a general?"

"Oh, no." An almost apologetic smile. "I only manage affairs for them. I don't get mixed up in business like that." They had reached the breakfast hall, and Anju held the door for him. "I recognize the necessity of bloodshed, but suffice to say that I still don't prefer it." He shut the door behind him. "And here we are. I must excuse myself—I know I said we should breakfast, but I have already eaten. Please enjoy your meal though. Preparations should be ready in an hour." And he left through the door they had just entered.

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The early morning chill had mostly vanished by the time the seventy soldiers had lined up in front of the gate. Shiba and Warade, the two brothers, were commanding thirty-five each, and they each had several lieutenants below them who would divide up the companies. A headcount was taken as the feathery plumes on un-donned helmets waved gently, and then, they were ready.

Kurama strode up and down the straight lines, reviewing the troops. Gandara was a diverse region, and the infantry and cavalry reflected that. He thought he had even seen someone with a mop of bright orange hair.

At the single reverberation of the gong, Kurama advanced to the front of the forces. "I wish you good luck today. The success of your mission will heavily figure in our political relations with Alaric. I trust that you will neither fail your generals nor your emperor. May Sosen favor all of you."

Kurama stood to the side as someone gave a cry, and the lines of soldiers surged forward past him, through the gate. Within minutes they had disappeared, and the guards had dragged the gate closed.

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The noise of the marching army had drowned out the natural sounds of the forest. Not that there were any animals brave enough to make a sound when loud predators were around. Any atmosphere was immediately interrupted with the arrival of humans, especially soldiers.

Not that he cared. Yuusuke yawned hugely.

"Oi Urameshi, if the horse is making you sleepy, get off and let me ride."

Yuusuke grinned. "Yeah right, Kuwabara. _I_ got upgraded to cavalry, not you. So I get the horse."

Kuwabara shot him a dark look from his vantage point several feet below Yuusuke. He was probably still sore at losing the cavalry post to Yuusuke, who had joined a year or two after him. Nevertheless, Yuusuke had proved to be more adept than he and had therefore been promoted sooner.

Yuusuke changed the subject, folding his hands behind his head with difficulty. The armor was both uncomfortable and bulky, but he _had_ wanted to be a cavalryman. "We're all gonna be infantry when we get to the village anyway. Who're you with?"

"Kazemaru. You?"

"Yeah, same here. We've been with him a few times; he's all right."

"Yeah, I guess so."

They didn't say anything until the horses and men in front of them began to slow. Yuusuke craned his neck, having a better view than Kuwabara. "What's going on?"

Before Kuwabara could answer, they heard the voice of Kazemaru. "Listen up, men, we're here. Seven of you are with me. Cavalry, dismount and get your infantry partner. Whatever infantryman has no partner will be my partner. Hurry up."

Yuusuke dismounted quickly, tying his horse nearby and picking up his lance. He moved to stand near Kuwabara. The other five partnered up as well. Kazemaru, a former ninja who still wore his traditional tunic, shaved his head and bore his Buddhist manji on his forehead, as their captain, stepped into the center of their circle.

"Your orders are simple. Free the villagers, kill Tarukane's men, try not to kill too many civilians, and if any of you come upon Tarukane or the Orb or the priestess, take special care and get a hold of whatever it is quickly. Let's go."

The circle broke apart around the same time Yuusuke and Kuwabara's comrades had also separated. From the front, a shout was heard. "They're attacking! Charge the main entrance!"

The first division deflected a volley of arrows before they were able to slash the heavy wooden door open. There was a collective shout as the soldiers streamed in.

Yuusuke and Kuwabara, lance and sword ready, respectively, surged in with the rest of them and immediately turned right, following Kazemaru's shaven head. The ninja was nimble, using his nun-chucks to knock out black robed adversaries and still advancing at the same time. Yuusuke and Kuwabara did the same, mowing down any warrior that made hostile advances.

By now, they had separated from the others. Kazemaru paused for a moment. "How many?" he asked tersely. All seven of his men answered. "Good, let's go." And he was off again, bursting into hovels and defending against the opponents who rushed to meet him.

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On the other side of Honetadare, Alaric's forces had also gained entrance to the village. Instead of men, though, they met strange, horrific hybrid creatures that salivated poison and snatched heads without warning, huge tigers with horns bursting from their backs, and bears with long saber fangs.

Hiei forced his sword through the gut of a gruesome screeching bird, using his left hand to push the blade up and through the bird, slicing it in half. The men in his company labored to follow him, finishing his half-kills and tackling with difficulty those that Hiei dodged.

He didn't care about whether or not they made it alive. He had other reasons for coming here.

When the residents of the hideous menagerie had been slain, Hiei leapt lightly over their corpses, dashing further into the village, looking for hidden opponents—and something else. A black robed man darted out from behind a building, ax raised high, but Hiei was quicker and bisected him before he could bring his weapon down.

As he spun around to meet the man's partner, he saw it—a high tower, heavy chains, visible from far away, crossed over its single window. That was it. He made quick work of his adversary, finishing him with three strokes, and blurred in the direction of the tower.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Yuusuke had no idea how long they had spent battling their way through Tarukane's henchmen, but he was getting tired of the ceaseless massacre. Kuwabara fought his way over. "Hey Urameshi!" he shouted. "What's the point of this!"

"I don't know!" Yuusuke shouted back. "Just get as many as you can!"

As he said that, the blond haired boy in front of them fell, clutching at his shoulder. One of Kuwabara's friends. "Kirishima!" Kuwabara tried to get to him, but his dark-haired partner had already picked him up. As the other boy was hoisting Kirishima onto his shoulder, a black robed man loomed in front of him, and he recoiled, but Kuwabara was there first, fighting him off. The man cursed and turned to retreat.

"Bastard! Come back here, you coward!" Kuwabara followed him.

"Kuwabara!" Yuusuke shouted after his friend. "Don't go after him! We have to stay with everyone else!" But Kuwabara was already chasing the man down. Yuusuke swore. "Dammit! The idiot!" And he proceeded to run after Kuwabara.

The masked, black robed man glanced back over his shoulder at the two boys chasing him. _Fuck._ He made for the tall tower in front of him. He could take them on one at a time in the tower's narrow stairway.

Kuwabara yanked open the wooden door and sprinted up the stairs. Below him, he could hear Urameshi's swearing, and he grinned wryly. His friend had followed him.

Without warning, the henchman turned on him and lashed out with a short blade, catching Kuwabara in the arm. Kuwabara retaliated with his sword, but it was too heavy to thrust swiftly. The move pushed his opponent backward, and he grunted, pulling out his blade. Kuwabara dodged his knife and punched him with his free hand. The man clutched his bruised face and bolted up the stairs.

"What the—hey! Get back here, you dickhead loser!"

The top of the stairs ended in another wooden door, chained and padlocked, but the blade of his knife sliced easily through a weak link, and he stumbled through, still clutching his face. He looked around wildly before noticing a frightened figure huddling in a corner of the room. In a last ditch effort, he advanced.

Just moments later, Kuwabara burst through the door and came to a screeching halt, finding himself in a small room. A single chair was placed next to the chained-up window, and a small bed lay to the side of the room. In the middle of the room stood the man he had been chasing, his arm locked around the neck of a young girl, switchblade pressed to the side of her throat. The girl was terrified, tears falling from her bright red eyes, and strangely, crystallizing before they hit the ground.

Kuwabara blinked, momentarily stunned. She was beautiful and delicate, sea green hair tied back with a modest red bow, large red eyes looking at him imploringly. A surge of protectiveness went through him, and he gathered himself, ready to charge her captor. The masked man only smirked and pressed the blade closer, halting Kuwabara's advance. "What do you intend to do, boy? I could kill her before you made a single move."

They stayed that way, in a frozen tableau, beads of sweat rolling down Kuwabara's face, for an interminable amount of time, when abruptly, a lance flew by Kuwabara's face, piercing the man's hand and his neck before he could utter an exclamation. The orange-haired teen whirled around as the man dropped to the floor, and the girl freed herself.

"Who—Urameshi!" The thought that Yuusuke had followed him had slipped his mind during those crucial seconds.

Yuusuke grinned rakishly. "I saved your sorry ass, Kuwabara! You woulda been here for hours, just standing there."

Kuwabara immediately went on the defensive. "Shut up! I just didn't want her to get hurt!"

"Her? Oh, right." Yuusuke looked around Kuwabara to the girl sitting on the floor, a ways from the body of her captor. "You all right?"

She nodded, traces of fear still evident. "Th-thank you."

Yuusuke took a few steps toward her. "No problem. What's your name, anyway?"

"Yukina," she said softly.

Kuwabara spoke this time. "Well, uh, Yukina-san, you should probably come with us." Yuusuke noted amusedly that his friend's face was reddening. "It's not safe here, but I'll protect you—"

But as he was reaching a hand out to her, Yuusuke's senses prickled, and he whirled, only to see a dark figure blur in front of Kuwabara.

"Don't touch her." The voice was deep and menacing, matching the glare the stranger was giving Kuwabara. His sword was pointed at Kuwabara's neck, barely pricking him. Kuwabara didn't dare move.

Shockingly, Yukina looked joyful at the stranger's appearance. "Oniisan! You came! Oh, I'm so glad!" She stopped herself short of hugging him. His sword was still pointed at Kuwabara, though his red eyes—the same color as hers—were trained on her, a glimmer of relief in their depths. "Oh, but oniisan—these two have helped me. They're not Tarukane's men." At her words, the dark-haired stranger slowly eased his sword away from Kuwabara and sheathed it, folding his arms over his chest.

Yuusuke scratched his head as Kuwabara stumbled backward, rubbing at his throat. Yukina looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. This is my brother, Hiei. He came to get me."

Kuwabara was muttering curses under his breath. Yuusuke sweatdropped. "Oh, okay…I'm Urameshi Yuusuke, and this is Kuwabara Kazuma. We're soldiers from Gandara. Uhh…well, everything's okay up here, so I guess it'd be best if you came with us back to Gandara."

"No." Hiei was glaring at him. "She's coming back to Alaric."

"Sorry man, I know it's inconvenient, but we were told to bring back anyone we found. And hell, I already got in trouble for not following orders last time so—"

"I couldn't care less about your petty affairs. She's my sister, and I have every right to bring her back." Hiei's voice held more than a hint of a threat.

Yuusuke held his hands up. "Look, I'm really sorry, but I have to do this. My captain's gonna have my head if I tell him we found a girl, and we didn't bring her back." Yuusuke grimaced at what Kazemaru was already going to do to them for straying off. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head. "Hey—you're not Sosen no miko, are you? 'Cause she was supposed to be around here somewhere…"

Hiei stepped forward and drew out his sword before Yukina could answer. "Enough with your idiotic questions. Move."

Yuusuke glanced at Kuwabara, whose look of uncertainty matched his own. _I reeeeaaally don't want to do this, but here goes nothing._ Yuusuke snatched up Kuwabara's sword, ignoring his protests. "No offense, but I gotta do this." Hiei smirked as Yuusuke lunged at him.

Hiei disappeared quickly as Yuusuke swiveled, searching for an opening. A slash opened up on his back, and he clamped down on an exclamation, whirling again to meet his opponent. Hiei jumped backward to avoid his two-handed thrust. _This boy has no idea how to use that sword._ Hiei locked blades with him, both straining against their swords, and Hiei won out, shoving Yuusuke at an angle. The teen's sword flew through the air and clattered to the ground some ten feet away.

"Dammit!" Yuusuke scrambled backwards, hands groping for anything, and as Hiei rushed him, his fingers found the lance he had thrown earlier, and he pulled it out of the body and chucked it again.

Hiei sliced the lance lengthwise, cleanly in half, and made for Yuusuke again. But in the instant that the two halves of the weapon fell to the ground, there was the sound of something cutting through the air, and Hiei barely made a half turn before he fell to the ground, unconscious. Next to him, a throwing star skidded onto the stone floor.

"Oniisan!" Yukina, who had been watching the fight with horrified eyes, rushed to her brother's side. She cradled him in her arms, fingers probing for the wound. Two tears made their way down her cheek and crystallized as they hit the ground.

Yuusuke put his hand to his back, feeling the slippery blood. His armor hadn't held. He looked up at the doorway, and standing there, still holding another throwing star, was their captain, Kazemaru. He wore a look of fury on his face, and Yuusuke gulped as he stalked over to him and grabbed him up by the front of his uniform.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he asked, enunciating each word with a dangerous edge. Yuusuke gulped again.

"Uhh…well, Kirishima got hurt, and some guy tried to attack him and Kuwabara fended him off and followed him, so I tried to get him back, but he couldn't hear me, so I followed him. And then we got here, and the bastard was holding Yukina-san hostage, and Kuwabara was standing there so I threw my lance and killed him. Umm…then Yukina's brother Hiei came, and when I told him that she had to come with us, he got really mad, and I had to fight him, 'cause I knew you wanted us to bring back anyone we found. Plus, I kinda thought she might be Sosen no miko."

Kazemaru glared at Yuusuke for a moment before dropping him back onto the floor. Yuusuke muffled a curse. Kazemaru was still glaring at him. "Fine—you're off the hook this time. At least you tried to follow orders, albeit in a questionable manner." He glanced at Kuwabara, who was standing off to the side, and at Yukina, who was still cradling Hiei. The former ninja narrowed his eyes at the sight of Hiei's uniform.

"A soldier from Alaric. Huh." Kazemaru picked up his throwing star. "Well, don't worry about him, he's not really hurt. This throwing star's specially blunted, so he's just out." Yukina didn't look much comforted as she continued to hold Hiei.

Kazemaru turned to Yuusuke and Kuwabara. "Everything's wrapped up in the village. Someone got Tarukane. We're going to have to take her and her brother with us, so get up and let's move out."

—to be continued—

Sou ka—I see.

Ii yo ne—Fine; very well.

Manji—A Buddhist symbol. It looks like a swastika, which was stolen from the Hindu religion and twisted by Hitler.

Oniisan—older brother

Notes: Whew. This was an enormous chapter, about twice the length of chapter two. The title's not so great, but you did get to meet Hiei, Yukina, Yuusuke and Kuwabara. And heck, I even threw Kazemaru and Kirishima in there. Anyone remember them? They're canon YYH characters. Oh, and speaking of vague YYH references, Anomura mentioned something about the name "Honetadare" seeming familiar, and that's because it is a real setting in YYH. They only mention it once in the manga, but Honetadare (or Bone Ulcer Village) is the name of the village where Tarukane has his headquarters and where Yuusuke and Kuwabara go to rescue Yukina. So I didn't make it up.

A note about the production of this fic: Since finals and New York State Regentses are coming up, production of this story will probably be slow, but I promise I'll try very hard. I'd just like to apologize in advance if the next chapter doesn't come out for a while, because as my time is decreasing, the complexity of the story is increasing. I haven't even really touched on the crux of the story yet…

Anyway, that's all. Reviews, anyone?


	4. Trials and Decisions

**Wildfire  
**Chapter four: Trials and Decisions

By Funara

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me.

Notes: I know, I know, it's been over a month since I updated, but first I had finals, then graduation, then Regentses, and I just got back from camp. So all in all, I had very little time. However, this chapter, as bad as it may be, finally got done. Enjoy!

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The royal throne room was filled with the sounds of quiet, discreet conversations, the usual prelude to a full court session. Kurama leaned forward on his throne, expression serious as he contemplated the scene before him.

He had doubted the wisdom of holding another meeting involving the royal assembly so soon after the disastrous first one, but he'd had no choice—the assembly was required to be present whenever the imperial court was in session. And so, the thirty members of the royal assembly stood along the walls of the throne room, waiting for the session to begin.

Homura was dressed in a simple white linen tunic and master of ceremonies, as usual. He nodded towards the two guards who stood at the far end of the hall, motioning them to open the doors. Silence fell as the two brother generals entered, followed by a prisoner. Two soldiers held onto the captives. Behind them followed three more soldiers.

Homura cleared his throat. "Generals Shiba and Warade, please address the court. Inform us of what occurred."

They glanced at each other before Shiba spoke. "Our mission yesterday was successful—we took back the village of Honetadare and during the process, also took prisoners. We did not find the Orb or the priestess, nor did we communicate with the soldiers from Alaric—they left before we pulled out. The man behind me is Tarukane Gonzo, head of the organization that invaded Honetadare."

The gaze of the nobles rested on Tarukane, and Kurama could feel the general repugnance. The man was obese, his drooping jowls heavy with fat, and his small eyes were greedy. There was a strange protrusion—a lump, really—from the top of his head, as though it had been molded that way. His robes were gritty and sweaty.

"Tarukane Gonzo, you are in the presence of the royal court of Gandara," began Homura. "Your invasion of the village of Honetadare was a crime against the nation, and as such, you will be tried and sentenced at a later date. The current session regards information you may be able to provide to the court. What you say may or may not influence your sentence. If you know you have no information, you may leave."

The gem dealer made no move.

"Very well. We have been informed that your takeover of the village occurred around five days ago. In your time there, did you witness anyone unusual passing by the village?"

Tarukane snorted. "I didn't go outside my quarters. All the dirty work went to others."

"Then did any of your subordinates ever report such an incident?"

He shrugged. "We had all sorts of freaks around us. One more wouldn't have made a big impression. He probably got killed by the patrol, unless he looked important."

_How much are we going to tell him?_ Kurama wondered. _He obviously knows more than he's letting on._

"What if the person was Sosen no miko?"

Tarukane's face took on a closed expression, and he looked suddenly wary. "The priestess of Sosen? Not a chance—she always stays in her temple doesn't she?"

"Your men would have recognized her robes, even if none of them knew what she looked like. Did they report anything of the sort to you?"

Tarukane hesitated. "No."

Homura frowned. "Then we may assume that you did not capture her and hold her against her will? To do so would have been a grave offense against Sosen himself, I'm sure you are aware."

Tarukane shook his head, his expression still closed. "I didn't do anything."

Homura waited a moment. "Then that is all. If you suddenly remember something," several assembly members smirked slightly at this, "or have other information to share, you are free to tell the court. Your trial is not scheduled for a few weeks. Until then, you may stay in your cell." The guards advanced at these words and led him away, accompanied by Shiba and Warade.

There was silence until the doors shut behind the departing group. Then Homura relaxed a little and turned to the three soldiers left. "Now, there is another matter that must be addressed. This also deals with Honetadare. Kazemaru-san, please address the court."

One of the soldiers stepped out from behind the other two and knelt with one knee on the ground. Kurama noted in surprise that he wore the uniform of a ninja, rather than the traditional military garb, and that his forehead bore a Buddhist manji.

"I am Kazemaru. Yesterday, I led a group of foot soldiers under Generals Shiba and Warade into Honetadare. During the mission, two of my soldiers were separated from the group. I was unable to find them until a member of another group informed me they had vanished into a tower. When I had reached the room at the top of the tower, I saw that one of my soldiers was being threatened by someone I didn't recognize. I threw a blunt throwing star at him, and he was knocked unconscious."

"Was there anyone else in the room besides your two men and the assailant?"

"There was a young girl."

"Sou ka. Arigatou gozaimashita." Kazemaru rose and stood off to the side. "Would the two young men who were involved please identify themselves and tell the court what happened?"

They advanced, and, unsure of what to do, mimicked their captain's actions. Kurama smiled a little. The two boys looked a little younger than himself, maybe eighteen or nineteen.

The shorter, black-haired teen nudged the orange-haired one, indicating that he was to go first. "Well, I'm Kuwabara Kazuma, and I was in Kazemaru's group yesterday." Kuwabara felt incredibly stupid but was determined not to mess up. "In the middle of the fighting, I saw one of my friends go down, so I went to help him and saw one of Tarukane's guys try to kill him. I fought him off, but he ran away, so I went after him." He glanced at Yuusuke, but the other boy said nothing.

"Anyway, I chased him into this tower, and we fought, but he eventually ran into this little room at the top. When I followed him, he was holding this girl hostage, so I couldn't do anything. But Urameshi burst in and killed the guy." Kuwabara stopped, and Yuusuke took this as his cue.

"I'm Urameshi Yuusuke, and I was in Kazemaru's group too. Well, I followed Kuwabara when he chased after that guy, and when I saw the guy holding Yukina—well, the girl, hostage, I threw my lance at him and killed him." He paused, but no one said anything.

"We were gonna take her back here with us, but right then, another guy showed up, and it turned out he was her brother. He wouldn't let us take her back with us, so I tried to fight him, but it wasn't really working until Kazemaru came in and knocked him out. Umm…oh yeah, and I thought Yukina might have been Sosen no miko, but I never found out if I was right."

"Why did you think she was Sosen no miko?"

Yuusuke blinked, then scratched his head. "Well, I figured if she was locked up in a tower, that must've meant that she was important. I don't know what the priestess looks like, so I figured it could've been her."

Homura nodded. "Thank you." And paused, before adding, "That is all. Please wait next to your captain." The two boys moved off to the side.

The guards once again opened the doors at Homura's signal. This time, only a single figure entered, accompanied by a guard. When she stopped in front of Kurama and his advisors, she bowed respectfully, her long, sea-green hair, three shades greener than her kimono, falling around her shoulders. She was probably younger than the two boys who had come before her, but her youthful appearance belied the determination in her crimson eyes.

Yukina gazed steadily at the white-garbed man in front of her. She was determined to make a good impression, and though she might have felt safer if her brother had been with her, she had made the decision to leave him behind, because his attitude toward the two soldiers who had aided her was not one that would have helped her case. The guards had spoken to her and not Hiei, and she had made the decision on her own but made sure to whisper it to him as she was leaving.

Homura began. "According to the story we have heard from our soldiers, you were found imprisoned in a tower. Would please identify yourself and relate the circumstances of your capture and incarceration?"

Yukina nodded. "My name is Yukina, and I originally come from a city in Alaric. I used to run a flower and vegetable stand to support myself and my brother, and I often took trips back and forth from my home to the stand. I was captured by Tarukane's men on my way home one day."

"How long ago was that?"

"About half a year."

A murmur went through the court. Homura continued. "Do you remember where you were brought? The main headquarters, perhaps?" If she could tell them that, it would be much easier to pin down the rest of Tarukane's henchmen.

Yukina shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was blindfolded and drugged, and when I woke up, I was in a dark cell. I don't know where they took me."

It was a pity, but he hadn't really expected her to know. Homura went on. "Do you know why you were captured?"

She hesitated. "I don't know."

Homura noticed her delay. "Not an idea? Nothing?"

"Perhaps they had intended to sell me as a slave."

Homura frowned. "Tarukane Gonzo was a gem dealer, generally, I believe. It would seem unusual for him to sell slaves."

Yukina said nothing, but her heart was pounding. She hadn't intended to tell them about her tear gems, the strange phenomenon that took place when she cried. She was fully aware that they might try to take advantage of it, as Tarukane had done.

"But I suppose he might have wanted to make something more on the side. It's not implausible." Yukina nodded.

"So, the facts are that Tarukane had imprisoned you for about six months, and you were unaware of where you were. Would explain the situation that occurred in Honetadare yesterday?"

She inhaled quietly. "A man burst into my room while I was there. I didn't recognize him, but he dressed like Tarukane's men. When he saw me, he grabbed me and put a knife to my neck and ordered me not to move. A few seconds later, an orange-haired young man ran in," she indicated Kuwabara, "but he couldn't do anything, because he didn't want me to get hurt. After that, a black-haired boy came in and threw a lance at my captor and killed him." She gestured towards Yuusuke as well.

"The two of them were about to get me out, but then my brother appeared. He had been searching for me since I had disappeared. Yuusuke-san tried to convince Hiei to allow me to go with them," Yuusuke looked surprised that she had remembered his name, "but Hiei wouldn't allow it. And that's when Yuusuke asked me if I was Sosen no miko, and Hiei stepped in fron—"

"Are you?" Homura interrupted.

Yukina blinked and then blushed. "Oh no. I would never be strong enough to be a miko, especially one serving Sosen-sama."

Homura smiled at her modesty. "All right, continue then."

"Hiei and Yuusuke-san started to fight, and I was too scared to stop them. Kazuma-san didn't move either, but I think he was hurt." Yuusuke elbowed Kuwabara, smirking, and Kuwabara gave him a look that clearly said 'shut up.'

"Oniisan had the advantage but right then, another man came in and threw something at him. He fell to the floor, and I rushed to help him, but the man said he was unconscious." She paused. "After that, we came to the palace."

The room was quiet for several moments before Yukina spoke again. "My brother was just protecting me—he thought Yuusuke-san and Kazuma-san were threats to me. Please, let him go."

Homura sighed. He had no sister, but he had two children, and he knew what it was like to be protective. But—"I'm afraid that is impossible. He seriously injured one of our soldiers and threatened another. Regardless of his intentions, he must be put on trial."

The red-eyed girl looked horrified. "He didn't intend anything towards Gandara! He only meant to protect me since I had been kidnapped already once—please, won't you take that into account?"

Homura shook his head regretfully. "All of that will be settled at his trial. I cannot discuss that now. You yourself will be released, but your brother must stay."

Kurama felt sympathy well up inside of him as tears formed in the girl's eyes. All Homura had said was true, but they could still do something for her, couldn't they? He leaned forward, an idea occurring to him. "There is something that we can do to help you."

Yukina's tear-filled gaze jerked up to meet the emperor's kind one, and she was not the only one. Most of the heads were turned in Kurama's direction, and the expressions on some of their faces were less than friendly.

Kurama was aware of the glances but focused his attention on Yukina. "Instead of going back to Alaric, you can stay in the capital city until your brother's trial is over. You would be able to visit him, and I think it would help, ne?"

"Your Majesty, I don't think that—" an assemblyman began, but Kurama waved him away and concentrated on Yukina.

"It is your choice. If you accept, the government will aid you in setting up temporary house and will give you an allowance with which you can support yourself."

She was shocked, but overjoyed. It wasn't what she had hoped for, but it would afford her a sense of comfort to know she was near her oniisan. She hastened to accept. "That would be wonderful! Oh, thank you so much, Your Majesty." She gave a deep bow, not knowing how else to express her gratitude.

Kurama smiled. He knew the assembly, and possibly his own advisors, would protest, but he would deal with it later. This sort of thing was one of the real reasons he had accepted the position of emperor: to aid those who had done nothing wrong.

"Then you will be released tomorrow."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Yuusuke's stomach complained loudly, the gurgling sound reflecting the fact that he hadn't had breakfast. On top of that, he'd had trouble falling asleep last night and this morning, and to top it off, he'd been awakened far too early by an over-eager Kuwabara. Yuusuke glared at Kuwabara's oblivious back.

He hadn't been able to get much out of his orange-haired friend in his state of sleep deprived grouchiness, but he could guess what this was about. Kuwabara had been ecstatic at Yukina's release and the emperor's decision, and Yuusuke had a sneaking suspicion that wherever they were going had something to do with the slender maiden.

As they reached the main gate of the palace, he discovered that he was right. Several guards were waiting with Yukina, and their captain looked up as the two boys approached. He eyed them for a moment before saying, "Names?"

Kuwabara wasn't deflated by the commander's brusque manner—instead, he brightened up even more when Yukina smiled shyly at him. "We're here to escort Yukina-san to her new home."

The officer raised an eyebrow, sparing a moment to glance down at the piece of paper in his hand. "Names?" he repeated.

"Fine, fine, Kuwabara Kazuma. He's Urameshi Yuusuke."

The officer finally nodded and let them pass. Yukina walked next to Kuwabara, while Yuusuke amusedly eyed the couple, his arms crossed behind his head.

"Ah, Yukina-san!" Kuwabara began.

Yukina smiled. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Kazuma-san. Thank you for coming with me—and Yuusuke-san too." She glanced back at Yuusuke, who grinned.

Kuwabara blushed. "It-it's no problem at all! It's my pleasure to escort such a beautiful girl on a beautiful day like this!"

Yukina blushed and giggled. _Such a kind person. _Yuusuke merely rolled his eyes.

The conversation continued in this manner until the motley group reached the capital city. There, the noise level was too high to continue a private conversation, and Yuusuke and Kuwabara only shouted to each other when trying, and often failing, to verify the way to Yukina's new home.

By midday, all of them were lost and hungry. They bought large buns stuffed with sweet rice and meat and continued to walk, Kuwabara and Yuusuke occasionally unsticking their mouths to argue.

"Maybe we should take a left here. The directions say take a left at the fruit seller's stand."

"No, that was the other fruit seller's stand. We already took a left there. Let's keep going."

"We didn't pass a fruit seller—I woulda seen it. No this is definitely the lef—"

"Look, the last time we took your advice we ended up back we started, so let's just keep walking and we can come back if we have t—"

"No way, Urameshi! I know what I'm doing; I grew up near the city! Not like you who—"

The argument quickly dissolved into fisticuffs. Yukina sweatdropped.

After backtracking and taking more wrong turns, they finally arrived at the edge of the city. The buildings had thinned out, and alongside the river that marked the boundaries, there were a few small but sturdily built houses, their wall made out of packed earth and stone, their roofs thatched.

"This must be the place," said Yuusuke, noting the governmental seal on the walls.

"Yeah," replied Kuwabara, rapping on the walls. "'Edge of city, next to a river.' I wish the directions had been better though."

Yuusuke rolled his eyes and continued examining the structure. "This's better than the welfare house they gave me and 'kaa-san."

"Welfare houses?" Yukina asked from behind him.

"Yeah, we got one after 'tou-san died."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

Yuusuke waved his hand dismissively. "It was a long time ago. 'Kaa-san and me are both over it."

"Sou ka. It must have been difficult, after your father died. When my mother heard that my father had died…she fell ill and didn't recover. But that was a long time ago too." Yuusuke glanced over in surprise to see her gazing into the distance.

"What did you do after your parents died?" he asked.

Yukina turned to face him, a smile on her face once again. "My brother took care of me. We had very kind neighbors, and they helped us open a flower and vegetable stand. Later on, Hiei joined the army, and I took care of the stand mostly by myself. And then, well, I was kidnapped, and Hiei tried to rescue me, and I met you and Kazuma-san. But Oniisan is still imprisoned…" she trailed off.

Yuusuke looked around uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. Just then, Kuwabara called from the other side of the house, "Oi! Urameshi! Yukina-san! Where'd you two go? Shouldn't we go in now?"

Yuusuke sighed silently in relief as Yukina called back, "We're coming, Kazuma-san!"

The inside of the house resembled the outside in its simple, utilitarian design. A wooden bed frame, unusual but necessary because of the dirt floor, was placed in a corner of the room. Across from the bed were an ordinary wooden table and a single chair. Halfway between the table and the bed was a door, which, when opened, led to a smaller room with a few shelves along the walls.

"Not bad," Yuusuke commented. Kuwabara nodded.

Yukina moved around the main room, running her hands over the walls and the bed. "I'm checking for problems," she said in reply to the two boys' questioning gazes. "Oniisan usually did this, but…" She turned back to her work.

Finally, an hour later, Yukina had finished her inspection, and the three of them had cleaned the house up a little. They stood in the doorway for a moment, gazing at what would be Yukina's new home.

"Thank you for helping me," she said after a pause.

"No problem," said Yuusuke at the same time that Kuwabara said, "It wasn't a big deal."

"Well," Yuusuke started as he closed the door, "let's go back to the city, ne? I've got the money the emperor promised Yukina, so let's go buy what she needs."

The trio walked back towards the capital.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"I simply don't understand what the objection is, sir."

The representative, a fairly young, pale skinned man with a high forehead, shifted uncomfortably. "Well, you see, Your Majesty, those houses are usually reserved for persons seeking asylum—not, well, people awaiting the trial of relatives."

Kurama resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands and groan. He'd expected this sort of reaction when he'd granted a house and an allowance to the sister of the captured soldier, but he didn't think that the assembly would be so stubborn. The councilman had been harping on the same point for the past ten minutes. "That may be the traditional use, but I've made an exception. I am allowed to do so, aren't I?"

The assemblyman sighed resignedly. "Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I was just making a suggestion." He sat down.

"Have you finished, sir?" Homura asked. The young man nodded. "Then let us address the next issue. His Majesty will speak."

Kurama gazed at the assembly members gathered in the imperial throne room before beginning. "Yesterday, we heard testimony from our own soldiers as well as the captives brought back from Honetadare. Unfortunately, they were able to provide us with little important information, so it seems that we have reached a dead end as far as that venue is concerned."

A hand went up tentatively from the front of the hall. Homura raised his gaze, and Kurama paused. "Yes?"

A young man, probably around the same age as Kurama himself, stepped out, looking nervous and a little embarrassed. "Your Highness, we might question Tarukane more thoroughly."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "I believe Homura-san has already done an excellent job as regarding the questioning."

The representative turned pink, and Kurama's slight irritation faded a little. "Well, Your Majesty, I was just thinking that there are methods we didn't use. And they work sometimes, though I guess they couldn't be administered in a—ah, public place…" he trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

Kurama suddenly understood. "I will not tolerate torture as a form of information gathering," he said quietly.

The young man nodded anxiously. "I-I see, Sire. It was just—just a thought." He slipped back into line as another man, older and calmer, stepped out.

"Your Majesty, what about the soldier that we captured? Perhaps he would be able to tell us something?"

Kurama shook his head. "I thought so too, but a messenger arrived from Alaric early this morning. His message, we were informed, had to do with that particular soldier, and I'm afraid that the option of questioning him will be taken from us." He nodded to a man in the far left corner of the hall. "Bring him in so that he may deliver his message."

The doors opened, and a tall man strode in, garbed in the protective hooded cloak of one who had traveled a long way. When he reached the end of the carpet, he did not bow or kneel, but merely lifted his hood. The assembly gasped.

It was Shigure.

Kurama tensed at the sight of him, though he knew there was no reason to do so. Perhaps it was a result of the collective intimidation that ran around the hall. Only ten representatives had seen Shigure before, so the other twenty were very likely unnerved by the stitches that ran irregularly across his features and the golden rings slicing through his skin. What Kurama personally disliked, though, was his disdainful expression.

Kurama mentally shook himself and gathered his thoughts. Now was not the time to form reasonless suspicions. "Welcome to our court, Shigure-san. We did not expect you."

Shigure smirked. "It seemed slightly redundant to send a messenger to announce the coming of another messenger. Perhaps Gandara can afford to do so, but Alaric cannot."

Kurama refused to be provoked. 'Would you tell us of the message Mukuro-san has sent?'

Shigure did not hesitate. "Her Majesty requests that you neither question nor detain the soldier you have captured. She would like you to return him immediately." He paused and gazed directly at Kurama. "If not, she will be severely displeased."

Kurama met the Alaric general's gaze and said firmly, "I have no intention of returning the soldier until he has been tried, sentenced and has served out his punishment. He has committed a crime against one of Gandara's soldiers and must accept the consequences."

Shigure's expression remained unchanged. "I see." He turned on his heel. 'I will inform Her Majesty of your decision."

"That is not necessary." Shigure turned to see that Kurama had risen from his throne. "I will go to Alaric myself and inform Mukuro-san of my decision."

Shigure looked surprised for a moment before his expression became guarded. "There is no need for you to undertake such a journey, Your Majesty, for such a trivial reason as this."

"Oh no. I do not believe it is trivial at all. I wish to clear up any misunderstandings this decision may cause. Additionally, there are other issues I wish to discuss with Mukuro-san." _Like what her soldiers may have found in Honetadare. They're the only source we have left._

Shigure said nothing for a long moment. Finally, Kurama spoke again. "I assume Alaric is amenable to such a meeting?"

Shigure looked up suddenly, a queer smile spreading across his face. "Of course. There is no problem." His gaze hardened, though the strange smiled lingered. "In fact, we can leave tomorrow."

—to be continued—

Sou ka—I see.

Arigatou gozaimashita—Thank you very much

Oniisan—Brother

Ohayo gozaimasu—Good morning

Kaa-san--Mother

Tou-san--Father

Notes: Yes, this chapter was not exactly the most exciting, but the next chapter is a pivotal one. I hope. So, stay with me and enjoy.


	5. The First Flame

**Wildfire**

Chapter five: The First Flame

By Funara

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to more people than I can count on two hands, but none of them is me. Anyone attempting to sue me will be written into a bad parody of "Law and Order" involving drunken squirrels and retired baseball coaches that arbitrarily hit on passerby. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Notes: I apologize for the length of this chapter. It's just that everything happened that needed to, and it did so within a short word count. Luckily, since I'm home more or less all the time, the next chapter should be out fairly quickly….unless I get sidetracked. This may or may not be foreshadowing.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Alaric's imperial palace was nothing like that of Gandara. While Gandara's palace was really a series of elegant, elaborate buildings with a red column motif, Alaric's was a redoubtable fortress, strengthened by stone and marble. With the entrance gate made out of spears of polished iron and the main hall supported by gray, granite columns, it was clear that Alaric's stronghold was designed to induce fear rather than to just impress.

The sound of footsteps brought Kurama's attention to the page Shigure had sent to tell Mukuro of their arrival. The boy held up one finger and bowed deeply to their party.

"Her Majesty is free," Shigure translated. "You may see her now or rest first, though she may be occupied later."

The red-haired emperor glanced at Tojin and Anju, who had accompanied him. Both of them looked a little tired but still alert. They nodded at him. "We will see her now. It would be impolite of us to arrive without warning and still make her wait."

"Fine. Follow me." Shigure led the way through a side door in the main hall, which led to another hallway. He stopped before a door with a set of handprints imprinted in its center and knocked three times before pushing open the doors, careful not to touch the handprints.

The first thing Kurama noticed was that all the sides of the circular room seemed to be made of a clear, smooth crystal. Behind the transparent walls, there appeared to be a glowing source of light that changed colors intermittently. It was difficult to clearly make out the rest of the room, as the light rays did not penetrate far, but Kurama could discern several tables and chairs scattered about.

"Your Majesty, Mukuro-sama, I've brought the emperor of Gandara and his companions." Shigure bowed briefly and left, shutting the doors behind him.

"This is certainly a surprise," came Mukuro's voice.

"I apologize, Mukuro-san. There were urgent issues I wished to discuss," Kurama replied, attempting to locate the source of her voice.

"I see." A figure rose from the center of the room and suddenly, the light source was no longer changing color but remained a steady, bright white-yellow, approximating sunshine.

Mukuro stood before them, her form darkened by the light shining behind her. "Sit, please." As Kurama, Tojin and Anju seated themselves at a table across from Alaric's empress, they could not help but glance at the glowing walls.

"There is a crystal positioned behind the walls. It absorbs energy and emits it in the form of light. I had it placed here, because I enjoy watching its variations in color." Mukuro pulled a chair out and sat down. "But I doubt that this was the reason you came to visit me."

Kurama shook his head, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. When Mukuro said nothing, he settled into a more serious demeanor. "This morning, Shigure-san informed us that you had requested the immediate return of the soldier we had captured." He paused. "However, I'm afraid I cannot comply."

"Oh?" Mukuro arched an eyebrow.

"The soldier—his name is Hiei, I believe—assaulted two of Gandara's soldiers. He must stand trial and serve his sentence before we release him."

She folded her hands and gazed at them idly before asking, "Is that all?"

"No. There are questions we'd like to ask you about Honetadare."

"Such as?"

"Your soldiers left first, Mukuro-san. Did they find anything that might be of aid in finding the Orb or Sosen no miko?"

Alaric's empress leaned back in her chair and regarded Kurama silently. "I'm afraid I cannot comply," she said, imitating Kurama's earlier remark.

Kurama was taken aback. "Why not?"

Mukuro fixed him with a steady look. "Alaric and Gandara have been allies for a long time, Kurama-san. They've aided each other in war, traded successfully and profited from the relationship. Always, though, it has been Alaric that gave more. After all, we are the larger country. It seemed fitting.

"Recently, my advisors have been pushing me to cut off that bond." She paused, to let the words sink in. "I resisted them at first, but now, I am beginning to see the wisdom of their words.

"Alaric offered Gandara a lucrative plan for utilizing the Orb. We did not have to, but we did. We then heard, through our sources, that the emperor was violently opposed to our offer." Mukuro fastened her gaze again on Kurama.

"His Majesty had reason to believe it was danger—" Anju began.

"And then, we are told that the Orb had disappeared in Gandara," Mukuro continued, ignoring the advisor. "We offered our aid in retaking Honetadare. In return, Gandara captures one of our soldiers and refuses to return him. They even approach us for information when they have exhausted their own sources."

Kurama had remained perfectly still while Mukuro had spoken, and he now met her gaze evenly. But inside, a cold feeling had taken hold.

"Perhaps you don't have enough political experience to understand my meaning," she said contemptuously. "Let me lay it out for you—"

"How dare you!" Both Tojin and Anju had stood abruptly and were glaring down at the orange-haired woman.

"No!" Kurama commanded suddenly. "Anju-san, Tojin-san, please take your seats." The two sat uncertainly, giving their emperor bewildered looks. "Mukuro-san, please continue."

Mukuro did so. "In short, Alaric is cutting itself off from Gandara. We are retracting all aid and treaties, including the one regarding the Orb." Kurama clenched his hands but made no move to interrupt her. "If Gandara should retrieve the Orb, then it is possible that negotiations may be reinitiated. Until then, I have no wish to see a single soul from Gandara." She rose from the table and turned her back on them, watching the crystal, which had once again begun to change colors.

Kurama rose as well. "Mukuro-san," he began, aware of how much was at stake here, "I have heard your reasoning and your decision, and I understand your justifications, but I strongly urge you to reconsider." He closed his eyes briefly and gathered his thoughts. When he began again, his expression was determined. "Gandara had no intention of offending or distancing Alaric. The actions we took were meant to—"

"Did you not hear what I said?" Mukuro cut him off. "I have no intention of listening to anyone from Gandara. So," she half-turned to face him. "I would suggest that you GO!"

The room exploded with cruel white light. Kurama threw his arms over his face and heard the cry of his advisors as they were forced back and could feel the floor rushing away from him.

And then, abruptly, the room and the light were gone, and the three of them found themselves outside Alaric's iron gates.

"What—what in the world was that?" Anju asked, getting up a little shakily and dusting himself off.

"I have no idea," replied Tojin. "Are you all right? Where is His Majesty?"

"I'm fine. His Majesty is—"

"Over here." Kurama had been cast a few dozen meters from Anju and Tojin. "Our horses are here as well." He gestured to their mounts, which had been tethered to separate trees.

"What now?" The question came from Anju.

Kurama smiled, albeit a little wearily. "What choice do we have? We must return to Gandara."

They mounted their horses and began the journey home.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It was already late afternoon when the three of them returned to Gandara. The guards at the main gate, in the midst of changing shifts, saluted them as they passed through, the fading light bathing them in a golden sheen. As they reached the building that housed the throne room, an official came hurrying from the back of the building, spotted them and hastened to them.

"Your Majesty, Anju-sama, Tojin-sama," he gave a brief bow, "welcome back. There is something urgent that—"

"Is it about Alaric? Tell the royal assembly that we will not meet until tomorrow." Kurama dismounted, his two advisors doing the same.

"No, Your Majesty—it, well I mean of course I'll inform them, but something else has happened. Tarukane has escaped! There is not a trace of him to be found!"

Kurama's eyes widened. "What? How is that—"

"There is more, Your Majesty! Even now, the royal assembly is—"

The doors behind the man swung open, and he jumped, stopping mid-sentence to glance behind him. A young man in his mid-twenties leaned against a door smoking a long, thin pipe. His long black hair was brushed neatly back from his face, and the relaxed, malicious expression in his face was added to by the scar across his right eye. "Ah, Your Majesty," he drawled. "right on time. We were just discussing who would be best to replace you as emperor."

—to be continued—

Notes: They really do talk too much. Oh well. Once I get the premise and everything set up, things will happen faster, and people will actually take action! Also, to all the people clamoring for Kurama to meet Hiei, I promise, it'll happen very soon. Hiei will feature in the next chapter in any case.

So…reviews anyone? Oh, and a virtual cookie to the first person to figure out who the guy at the end of the chapter is. It's really pretty obvious, but…maybe it's just me.


	6. Two Methods of Departure

**Wildfire**

Chapter six: Two Methods of Departure

By Funara

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho ain't mine. Not now, not never. Y'all know who's got _these_ goods. Go ask Togashi, yo, if yar interested in buyin'.

Notes: Another chapter. This one was difficult to start, but fairly easy after that. And it's reasonably sized too. Read and review, ne?

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The young, black-haired man continued to lean casually against the door of the throne room, puffing on his pipe, looking idly satisfied at the shocked expressions his remark had elicited. He removed the pipe from between his lips.

"I am serious, you know." He turned to the doors, rapped a few times, and turned back to address Kurama as they swung in. "Why don't you come in to see what's been going on in your absence?" He smirked and entered.

With no other choice, Kurama, Tojin and Anju followed him into the throne room and were greeted by the familiar sight of the members of the assembly standing along the sides of the room. Kurama lifted his eyes automatically to his throne and noticed that no advisors were seated around it.

"Ah yes," said the young man who'd led them in, noticing the direction of the emperor's gaze. "They are not aware of this meeting and are elsewhere, tending to their responsibilities. Sit down, if you will." Kurama and the other two chose to remain standing.

The black-haired assemblyman had stowed his pipe somewhere and was standing easily, confidently a few yards from the throne. He waited until all eyes were on him. He didn't have to wait long.

"My name is Sakyo. I am, as you can see, a member of the royal assembly, and have been for several years. Let me explain to you, Your Majesty, the nature of the motion that has been brewing within the assembly.

"After the death of Saruda-sama, we did not expect his…unusual method of choosing a successor. Nonetheless, we abided, but when _this_ emperor died, we anticipated a successor chosen by other means. It was surprising to us, therefore, that the method chosen was, apparently, random selection." He cast a glance in Kurama's direction.

"We resolved not to question your appointment, Your Majesty, though we did have our doubts. Gandara had had enough trouble with imperial heirs without our bringing up more issues." The false sincerity glimmered liquidly behind his words.

"Unfortunately, our doubts were proved correct. Your Majesty, your actions have caused chaos in our nation." Sakyo was sure to make solid eye contact with Kurama. "You rejected Alaric's offer to share the energy that could be extracted from the Orb, an offer that would have benefited Gandara immensely in the future. Following that, you lost the Orb and the priestess because of a failure to remove Tarukane Gonzo's organization from Honetadare. When you finally did, you still could not locate either the Orb or Sosen no miko, and the prisoners you captured provided no information. You refused to torture Tarukane, which certainly would have led to the procurement of valuable knowledge, and now, he has escaped." Sakyo faced Kurama with the hard gaze of a judge, having laid out his defendant's errors and follies. All of them, summed up succinctly. All of them, with the exception of the most recent. Sakyo, with the barest hint of a cold sneer, said, "Incidentally, how was your meeting with Mukuro-sama today, Your Majesty? Your last efforts to repair the situation?"

Kurama met Sakyo's hard, gloating gaze expressionlessly. It was natural for him by now—to immediately mask his feelings when events took a terrible turn. He would _not_ break; he had taught himself over and over to affect untouchability. "Mukuro-san rejected our request for information. Alaric has cut off ties with Gandara."

There was a moment of non-reaction. Then, the members of the assembly gasped as one, dumbfounded expressions on their faces. Alaric and Gandara had been allies for centuries, immediately after they had split into two countries. The news was like tearing apart a brother and a sister.

The assembly continued to whisper quietly. Kurama thought wryly that they had become better at handling bad news since the day that he'd proposed to disregard Mukuro's offer. How many long days ago had that been? His attention turned outwards again as Sakyo calmed his colleagues.

"This is the last step, Your Majesty. You have failed us. The assembly demands that you step down."

Kurama eyed the black-haired young man skeptically. This was pushing it too far. "The royal assembly was created to aid the emperor," Kurama informed him, glad he had quickly absorbed all that he had been taught. "Gandara is still a monarchy. You have no power to ask for my resignation."

Sakyo was unwavering. "Then those who agree with me will start a revolution. We have the resources and the ability."

"Gandara's soldiers will destroy your revolution."

"You cannot." Sakyo smiled lazily. "Eliminate us, and the nation's people will know why, that you ordered your troops to kill several assemblymen who only asked the emperor to resign, for what they believed were valid reasons. They will know that we wanted the best for Gandara, and they will continue in our steps. A revolution is something that you can't afford."

Kurama was disgusted. _He's willing to gamble the safety of Gandara just so he can fulfill his own personal agenda? _"And what would you suggest?" he asked sarcastically.

"Your resignation," replied Sakyo.

"Who would replace me?"

"Exactly what we were discussing before you arrived," he replied smoothly.

"Gandara can't afford to have another messy succession, not after the last one. We need to stabilize and correct our mistakes."

"Of course we do. But under your rule, Your Majesty, we will most likely keep on blundering and falling deeper into the ruts we have created. We need a more experienced ruler to rectify your errors."

Kurama watched Sakyo coldly, but inside, he was thinking quickly. There was still much he could say, but he doubted that Sakyo would bother to listen at this stage. _He must have been plotting this for a while._ He mentally kicked himself for not noticing the mutiny, but it was too late now—he was trapped between two equally unfavorable choices. He glanced around the hall and noticed the faces of Sakyo's supporters—easily identified by their looks of smug triumph.

"Well, Your Majesty?" Kurama turned his gaze back to the Sakyo. "I believe we've talked enough. Make your decision. You have all the necessary information and choices laid out for you."

"I would have to disagree," came a slightly hoarse voice.

Sakyo spun around as every head in the room immediately turned towards the source of the voice. A short old woman with a deeply lined face and grayish pink hair strode confidently down the walkway, her hands tucked neatly behind her back. Her tunic was red with green hems and a green sash, except for where it wrapped around her chest—the wide hem was deep purple there. Her shoes were the same shade of violet as her hem, and underneath her tunic, she wore a white shirt and pants.

"Who are you?" asked Sakyo.

The old woman stopped a few feet in front of Sakyo. Several soldiers hovered behind her, not knowing if they ought to detain her but unwilling to hurt an elderly lady. She looked up and met Sakyo's eyes squarely. "I am Genkai, though better known as Sosen no miko. I want to speak with the emperor."

Sakyo surveyed the woman before him skeptically. What kind of trick was she trying to pull? Every fool could recognize the robes that marked a priestess—that mismatching outfit certainly wasn't it—and everyone knew that priestesses were always beautiful and young. "Sosen no miko was badly injured and disappeared a few days ago. You are nothing but an impostor. Soldiers!"

The soldiers converged on her instantly, but before they could touch her, they froze in mid-motion and as one, were thrown backward by an invisible burst of power. They sprawled across the walkway, some twenty feet away, groaning.

Genkai frowned a little. "Hmph. Must be getting old if they only went that far." A symbol glowed softly on her left cheek.

Kurama recognized the symbol at the same instant Sakyo did. It was the character that had come to represent Sosen—the traditional characters for "wolf" and "god" intertwined into one shape. The mark of the priestess.

Genkai spoke to Kurama. "Now that that's been done, let's go somewhere where we can talk." She eyed the roomful of disbelieving courtiers. "Not here, for sure."

Kurama stepped towards her with only the slightest hesitation. Whatever she had to say, it could help him and would at least allow him a chance to organize his thoughts.

Sakyo blocked his way. "You cannot leave, Your Majesty, until we have finished here."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Meeting with a god's priestess is more important than addressing your desire to be emperor, isn't it, Sakyo-san?" He brushed past him.

"He'll be back," added Genkai, leading the way out of the throne room as if she lived in the palace herself.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The cells in Gandara's dungeon were not badly furnished—at the very least, they had the necessities required for survival. A cot with a single sheet was placed along the left wall of the cell, leaving about three feet between the foot of the "bed" and the barred door. A small stool stood next to the bed, and there was a medium-sized urn tucked into the far right corner. A crude metal tray bearing some food and water sat on the ground.

Hiei was sitting in the space between the cot and the door, his legs pulled up to his chest. He sat just out of the view of a guard who might look down the hallway. From there, he could sit quietly and feign sleep while listening to the conversations of the soldiers, hoping to gather information.

Yukina had been let go yesterday. She'd been unable to convince them to release Hiei but had whispered the emperor's decision to him in the dead of night. At least she was safe.

The slightly muted sound of boots on the stone steps reached Hiei's ears. It was not time for guard change.

"Oi, Takashi, guess what? You'll never believe what's—"

"Shh! There are prisoners here, you idiot!" hissed Takashi.

"Oh. Whoops." The other soldier had lowered his voice, but sound carried fairly well in the underground cavern, unlike in the staircase that led to it.

"Yeah, whatever. What were you saying?"

"The assembly's holding some sort of meeting. They want to get rid of the emperor!"

"Keep it down, idiot! But why would they wanna do that?"

"Oh come on, even you're not that stupid. He's been messing up a lot lately, and everyone knows that none of the assembly guys wanted him for an emperor. _They_ all wanted the job."

"Well, yeah, but isn't it a little dumb to—yo, Basho." Again the sound of boots on stone.

"Yo yourself. Hear what's going on?"

"Yeah, Murashita was just tellin' me that—"

"Right, so I just walked by, and they're arguing in there, don't know how long…"

Hiei carefully pulled his boot off, safe in the knowledge that the guards were engrossed in their conversation. There was no one in the cell opposite his. He pulled out the thickly wadded cloth at the bottom of his boot and extracted a very thin, sheathed knife. He took it out and slung the sheath through his belt, balancing it.

The knife was one of the sharpest he owned and the only one they hadn't found in their search of his person. He held it close to a link of the chain that locked the door to the other bars. He sliced through first one half, then the other, of a single link. Pulling the chain slowly, making sure not to let his hands show, he finally got it all and dumped it on his cot. The next part would be the tricky part.

He had oiled the hinges of the door with the oil that he'd taken from the food they gave him. That way, when he opened the door, it wouldn't squeak shrilly and give him away. He took a deep breath, opened the door as little as he had to and slipped through.

It was lucky the dungeon was badly lit and that Hiei was fast. Before the guards could cry out at their escaped prisoner, Hiei had clapped together the heads of the two nearest him and taken out the third with a well-placed punch. He picked up a short sword and flitted up the stairs.

The steps spiraled once and then led straight to a wooden trap door. There were no sentries. Hiei pressed his ear to the door. He could hear the voices of soldiers—many soldiers. The door must lead to the head office of the barracks. He swore softly and glanced around, looking for another way out.

The space at the end of the staircase was barely lighted by the torch that hung in its bracket on the inner wall. Hiei retreated down the stairs that led to the trapdoor and moved quietly towards the other end of the space, away from the staircase up which he'd come. He encountered a heavy wooden door. It was locked.

After employing the same trick he'd used before, he slipped through the door, wincing at the noise it made when opened. He hurried up another staircase.

After lightly climbing at least five flights of stairs, Hiei again found himself in front of a wooden door. As he sliced the chain open, he wondered how far up this tower could possibly go.

His question was immediately answered when he pulled open the door. It led to no staircase, but merely to a narrow ledge. Hiei glanced over the edge and saw the ground, at least ten meters away. However, the tower was situated near a high stone wall. Hiei pulled his head in and glanced at the door. There was a rotting rope ladder, probably ten feet long, nailed to it. He guessed that this used to be an emergency exit.

Hiei sheathed his knife and tucked the short sword into his belt as well. He grasped the ladder, praying it wouldn't give way immediately and climbed down a few rungs. When he'd braced his feet firmly against the wall, he pushed off and allowed himself to slide down to the end of the ladder, chafing his hands. The rope was as far away from the tower as it could get. Hiei jerked the rope as it snapped and landed on the top of the stone wall, pulling the rope with him before it could fall to the ground and alert someone.

Crouching on the wall, Hiei rested for a moment, glad there were no guards nearby. He jumped to the ground on the other side of the wall. After burying the rope ladder, he set off through the wooded area, intent on making a clean escape.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Genkai and Kurama walked in the royal gardens. They were in full bloom at this time of year, bursting with healthy leaves and colorful flowers, but Kurama was not paying as much attention to them as he usually would. He was wondering where Genkai intended to lead them.

He was also wondering if she sensed, as he did, the presence of another person who had followed them from the throne room. He glanced at the trees and bushes on either side of the cream-colored brick path. He turned to the pinkish-haired old lady to ask her to pause for a moment so he could take care of the man who was following them.

Almost as if she could read his thoughts, Genkai abruptly stopped. She held a finger to her lips and looked around cautiously before slipping into the greenery on the right side of the path. Kurama watched her disappear with a soft amusement. A few moments later, there was a strangled yelp and a thud. Genkai reappeared, dragging an unconscious man behind her. She let go of him at the side of the pathway.

"He was hiding behind a tree. Probably a spy from the throne room."

"That's not surprising."

Genkai looked up at him with sharp, clear eyes. "You have a good head on your shoulders," she said finally.

Kurama blinked. "Thank you."

"Do you believe that I am Sosen no miko?"

Kurama smiled. "Should I?"

Genkai let out a dry chuckle and bent to roll the man into a nearby bush. As she dusted her hands off, she said, "If I were you, I would."

"You don't wear a priestess's robes."

She snorted. "How could I possibly get around in those ridiculously wispy things?"

Kurama laughed, feeling more at ease than he had for a while.

"Anyway, let's keep walking. This was the only one listening, so we should be all right." She started down the path. Kurama fell into step beside her.

After they had passed a grove of trees from which white petals occasionally fluttered, she spoke again. "Let me be upfront with you, Kurama-san. I don't have that much time to spare, so I'll be brief. I want to give you advice. Back in the throne room, that man with the long black hair wanted to end your rule, correct?"

"Yes."

"Naturally, you don't want that." She fixed him with a glance but went on without waiting for a reply. "I heard most of your discussion, so there's no need for me to repeat what was said. Let me cut to the point. Both of you argued well, but I lean towards the opposition more."

Kurama raised his eyebrows. "You believe that Gandara will benefit from an abrupt change of power at a crucial time like this?" he asked incredulously.

Genkai waved her hand. "No. I do agree with the man's point that from the eyes of your subjects, you have not been helping the country. I don't doubt that you remember all that has gone wrong. You need to prove yourself to the people."

"I know; that's why I need to stay on and fix what I have done."

The priestess shook her head. "There is nothing you can do from your throne. Your emperorship limits your ability to do the one thing that will begin to solve your problems."

"Finding the Orb."

"Exactly. I have a proposition for you: Leave the palace. Leave your duties to your advisors. I doubt a young man like you ever really wanted to become emperor anyway. Gather a few loyal men and go find the Orb yourself. It's the only thing you can do."

"And if the royal assembly chooses to revolt?"

She shrugged. "It won't be any of your business what goes on in the capital. People will criticize you, but you _must_ find the Orb. It's your first priority. Besides, _their_ first priorities are to reconcile with Alaric. Some good may come of it. They won't rush to make laws that benefit themselves, not until they can prove themselves."

"I don't think my opponents will be happy to know I'm still around."

"They don't care. So long as you are not present in the capital, you pose no threat to them. They know you won't be able to gather a following, so you're not going to be murdered or anything."

Kurama was silent. This was a chance he'd dreamed of since he'd become emperor barely two months ago—a chance to leave the palace that imprisoned him and the duties he did not want to fulfill. But there were still things that nagged at him. He voiced one of them. "How can I find the Orb without the slightest idea of where it is? It could be anywhere in the world."

Genkai nodded. "There is no way to know where it is without help. If I knew where it was, I would have gotten it back myself. But there is a great deal of knowledge about the Orb that can help you."

And she told him about the composition of the Orb and how he could that to track it down. She explained in detail its nature and what would happen if the energy were released and exactly how that energy was released. The history of the Orb and its connection to Sosen, the duties of the priestesses and how they were accomplished, and which gods might aid them. Kurama asked questions when he needed to, but mostly listened quietly, remembering as much as possible.

Finally, when she had finished, Genkai held her hands out and summoned a box made of red-brown wood. It was about half the size and twice as deep as the ceremonial boxes that swords were stored in and was carved with six symbols, one on each side and one on the top and bottom. Kurama only recognized the one engraved on the top as the symbol that had appeared on Genkai's cheek earlier. "This is a Half Box. If you were listening, you know how to use it. The Orb really isn't as big as most people think it is." She handed the box to him.

"Arigatou gozaimasu."

She nodded and turned around. "You better get started soon."

As they walked back towards the throne room, Kurama had one question left to ask. "If you know all of this," he began,"why don't _you_ search for the Orb?"

She answered without hesitation. "Because it's your duty now. I have other things to tend to."

She didn't elaborate or say anything else on their way back, and neither did Kurama.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sakyo looked up to see the emperor and the priestess entering the hall. He tucked his pipe back into his robes and turned to face them. In the back of his mind, he wondered where Saitama was—he wanted to know the details of what the miko had said to the emperor.

"So, Your Majesty, have you made your decision?"

Kurama drew level with Sakyo. "Yes. I will _not_ resign as emperor. Instead, I will merely leave my duties to my advisors." He glanced at Tojin and Anju before turning back to face Sakyo. "I will be leaving the palace for a while. I intend to undertake a journey."

Sakyo watched him closely, speculating. It all came down to the same thing. He smirked slightly. "Very well, then."

—to be continued—

Arigatou gozaimasu—Thank you very much.

Miko—priestess

Notes: Yes! YES! This chapter marks the last time we'll be seeing those pesky assemblymen for a long while. Political intrigue will be a distant remembrance, just another bad dream. I can finally scramble back into my depth! And next chapter, I can definitely promise you that Kurama and Hiei will get their long-deserved meeting. Finally! So, to repeat my mantra: review, ne?


	7. Mustering the Forces

**Wildfire**

Chapter seven: Mustering the Forces

By Funara

Disclaimer: Hard-working, underslept, low-grade feverish fanfiction authors ought to be paid. It just isn't fair. We work just as hard as the actual mangaka! In any case, it's the mangaka Togashi and his affiliates who own these characters. Not little ole me.

Notes: I'm really sorry that it's been so long since I updated. What can I say? School is my number one priority right now. However, now that the tennis season is coming to an end, I'll have lots more free time to write. Doesn't that make you all happy? So, please read and review! I hope no one's given this story up for dead…many of my usual reviewers have been silent recently.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kurama shaded his eyes against the sun that shone brightly over the streets of Gandara's capital. It wasn't just a rumor; it really was hotter in the city than in the countryside. The emperor-in-inconspicuous-clothing adjusted the belt from which hung a sword and a small money pouch and the pack slung over his shoulder that contained a few living necessities and some changes of clothing.

Sosen no miko had been right about the assembly—they had given him what he had asked for and had hurried him out of the palace. He had felt a twinge of guilt at seeing the shocked and disheartened faces of his six advisors, but he could not tell them the purpose of his journey. They had probably thought he was abdicating and fleeing.

Though he might as well be doing that—the results seemed to be the same. Genkai had told him to gather a few men and form a party, but it was far more difficult than it sounded. He knew no soldiers, or anyone useful in the capital for that matter. All the almost-friends he'd had were back home.

The redhead's eyes darkened at the mention of "home." How far away he was now, from the comfortingly familiar rice fields and the welcoming houses. He wondered what they had thought when they had learned that he had become emperor. Kurama grimaced. They had probably torn him down, as per human nature. His opinion of it had never been extremely high, and his years in the imperial court had not improved it.

Out of habit, the young man wandered over to the gold and silver traders' stalls, still thinking of his home village. As a boy, he had always loved touching the glittering metals and the beautiful objects that were fashioned out of them. His mother had joked once that with his quick fingers and attraction to treasure, he had probably been a thief in a former life.

Turning a corner onto another road, Kurama found himself in the fruit and flower section and smiled. Here was another area that had always evoked content in him; he had been growing his own garden since he was a small child. Coming upon a fresh fruit stand, he decided he was hungry and picked up a fresh golden apple.

Another hand, daintier than his, closed on it simultaneously.

Kurama looked up to meet the startled gaze of a small girl in a light blue kimono. She gasped. "Your Majesty!"

Abruptly, he remembered her face. "Yukina-san?"

Yukina nodded quickly. "Your Majesty, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the palace?"

"Well, yes, I—" Kurama shot a quick glance at the owner of the stall, aware that they were carrying on a loud conversation that drew attention to themselves. The shopkeeper glared at him and made an angry motion that indicated that he and Yukina were blocking the stall. "Yukina-san, why don't we talk somewhere else?"

The young woman, understanding Kurama's intent, quickly bought the rest of her groceries. They squeezed their way out of the fruit section and walked along a slightly less busy road.

Yukina turned to the much taller young man. "Anou…about my earlier question…"

Kurama smiled at the worried expression on her face. "It's very kind of you to worry about me when we hardly know each other."

She shook her head firmly. "You've helped me so much! I'm trying to repay that in any way I can."

"Sou."

"Dakara…I just wanted to know if something had happened, Your Ma—ah…"

"Kurama," he offered. "As to your question, yes, something has occurred. I had to leave the palace to undertake a task that I can't complete from there."

"But why isn't anyone with you then?"

"I couldn't take any of them with me."

"Why not?"

Kurama vacillated. "Well…"

Yukina blinked before clapping her hands together. "Oh, gomen nasai, Kurama-san. It's your business—I'm sorry for prying."

It was Kurama's turn to blink. "Oh, no, not at all. I can tell you anything you want to know. It's just our location that holds me back." He glanced at the people around them meaningfully.

The sea-green-haired young woman tapped her cheek. "Would you like to come to my home then?"

"Is that convenient for you?"

"Of course." She beamed.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

When the pair of them came upon Yukina's residence, Kurama felt a ripple of guilt pass through him. He had assumed he was doing her a favor by issuing her a home, but this house, though well-built, was by no means comfortable-looking. It appeared as though she even had to cook outside.

Yukina did not enter. Instead, she put her back to the door and faced Kurama with an anxious expression. Kurama frowned. "Is something wrong, Yukina-san?"

She bit her lip. "Kurama-san, I know I was the one who invited you here, but I need you to keep a secret if you're going to go in."

Bewildered, but sensing this was important, the redhead answered, "All right."

The delicate young woman bowed deeply. "Thank you so much, Kurama-san. This is…of great importance to me." With that, she turned around and carefully unlocked the door.

Kurama barely noted the simple furnishings of the house's interior before his eyes alighted on a figure sitting on a chair at a table, the only occupant of the room. Bare-chested, the young man sat with one ankle crossed over the knee of his opposite leg, a sword balanced on his thighs, a sharpening stone in his hand. He was clad only in black pants that matched the ebony of his hair and set off the curious white starburst in the center. Kurama unconsciously ran his gaze over him, noting how strong he was. When he reached the bright red eyes that watched him pointedly, Kurama realized who this must be.

The door creaked quietly behind them. "This is my brother Hiei," said Yukina quietly. "He arrived here yesterday."

The crimson-haired young man continued to watch Hiei, struck by the guardedness of his pose and the perpetual glare in his eyes. He was good-looking, with his smooth skin and vivid red eyes, but he also exuded an aura of aloofness and inapproachability that probably distanced him from others. Kurama felt an unexpected rush of understanding, the click of a connection, as he was strongly reminded of himself—he had changed similarly to discourage the schemes of the nobles.

Yukina twisted her hands, made uncomfortable by the silence. "He…escaped from the dungeons."

Kurama glanced at Yukina, noting her discomfort. Deciding to make light of the situation, he said smilingly,"Hiei-san, you must be very resourceful to have gotten out. I'm told that even the guards have trouble finding the exit."

At his words, Yukina smiled in relief and moved towards the table, offering Kurama a seat and drink and food. He accepted all and when Yukina bustled off to retrieve a cup, he sat down at the rough-edged table, across from Hiei. His gaze was drawn, almost instinctively, to the reticent young man, and he quietly watched him hone his sword.

When Yukina returned, Kurama dragged his gaze away from the deft hands and turned his attention to Hiei's sister. She set down three cups of tea and a plate of dried fruit, took a seat and waited patiently for Kurama to begin.

"My reasons for coming here are a bit complicated," said Kurama, understanding her expression. "I don't know a lot of the motives behind what happened, so I can't give you an accurate picture. But I'll tell you what I can." And he told her the whole story, beginning from when Shigure arrived at the court to his departure from the palace this morning and the reasoning behind his quest for the Orb. When he finished, Yukina's eyes were wide.

"That's an enormous task to undertake," she uttered softly.

Kurama smiled wearily. "I know."

"How will you go about it?"

He ran his hand through his hair tiredly. "I've received some help from Sosen no miko…but it's difficult to know where to start."

Yukina cocked her head. "I guess so." As Kurama looked out through the window, she observed him thoughtfully and noticed, to her surprise, that Hiei was doing the same.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Some time later, after Yukina had insisted that Kurama use her bed to take a deserved nap, the two red-eyed siblings sat outside the house, Hiei helping Yukina cook lunch. "That's about it," Yukina announced as she carefully dropped the meat into the simmering pot. Hiei added another stick to the fire.

The two of them sat on the large halves of logs that served for seats, Yukina occasionally stirring the contents of the pot. After a silence, she asked quietly,"Oniisan…what do you think of Kurama-san?"

Her brother turned to her, his almost identical red eyes revealing nothing. "Why does it matter?"

Yukina sighed, a little unused to Hiei's brusque manner after not having seen him for so long. "I think he's a very compassionate person. I'm sure his subjects love him for that quality."

"Leaving me in the dungeons was hardly compassionate of him," said Hiei dryly.

Yukina bit her lip. "That was…my fault for not having been able to convince them to let you go. Not Kurama-san's."

Hiei instantly felt guilt and regret wash over him at his sister's expression. After searching for her for so long, was this how he was going to treat her?

"We should repay him for what he did, now that we can." The young woman glanced at Hiei, who was relieved that her expression was determined and not sorrowful. "He's not really fit to go on a journey like that. He needs help."

Hiei did not finish her thought for her, though he knew what she was getting at.

"Will you go with him, oniisan?"

Hiei looked away and wondered why he had come back, when his sister could summon so much sympathy for a stranger, but not for a brother she had not seen in five years.

Yukina noticed her brother's taciturnity and touched his shoulder briefly, knowing he was probably making the worst out of what she had said. Somewhere along the line, Hiei had become a cold pessimist, and since the death of their mother, it had been Yukina's job to reassure him that he had not been abandoned.

"I'm not sending you away, oniisan. I love you; you're my brother. But Kurama-san is alone now and about to leave on a difficult journey. He needs someone. And it's not only that. You'll be unhappy here, doing nothing." Yukina willed her brother to understand. "When they took you to training, it was the same. You were so restless, and I knew that only the army could cure you of that." Hiei was listening, she was sure of it.

"I can take care of myself. I'm happy as I am. You need to do what makes _you_ happy." She blinked back tears in her eyes, surprised at her own emotions—but then again, she was sending away a brother she had scarcely begun to know again. "As long as you're happy doing what you're doing, I'll be fine."

Finally, Hiei relented. "All right. I'll go with him."

Yukina smiled gratefully. "Arigatou, oniisan."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Over lunch, Yukina told Kurama of their decision. The redhead was astonished and had begun to protest, but Yukina stood firm. "It's the best thing for both of you," she said. In the end, Kurama agreed.

Just as they were planning when to start and what supplies to bring, a loud knocking sounded at the door. "Yukina-san!" came a strangely pitched, enthusiastic voice. "It's Kazuma-san!" The three of them glanced at the door and exchanged looks before Yukina hurriedly padded to the door and slipped through it.

Hiei and Kurama listened intently for the few moments before Yukina reentered, flanked by two boys. Kurama instantly recognized them, as did Hiei, whose eyes narrowed dangerously. Their uniforms clearly told who they were—and Kurama remembered the unusual hair color of one of the boys. They were the two soldiers who had brought Hiei and Yukina to the palace.

Yuusuke and Kuwabara did not move far past the middle of the room, opting instead to assess the room's two unlikely occupants from far away. Although Yukina must have told them, they still looked faintly disbelieving.

"Well," said Kurama, breaking the quiet, as four pairs of eyes turned to him, "it seems the only person we're missing is Alaric's empress."

The black-haired boy standing next to Kuwabara was the first one to grin, accepting the comment for the olive branch that it was. "Guess so, ne?" He bounded towards the table, Kuwabara and Yukina following. Each of them took seats. Yukina offered them lunch, but they told her they'd already eaten.

"Yukina-san made us promise we wouldn't do anything to you while we're here," said Yuusuke, "but we wouldn't anyway so—"

"Why are you here?" Hiei glowered at them darkly.

"We've been checking in on Yukina-san," said Kuwabara. "We helped her move in too."

"And what gives you the right to do that?" growled Hiei.

The orange-haired young man appeared affronted. "She had nobody else to help her out, so we lent her a hand and—"

"If it weren't for you two and your unwanted interference, she wouldn't have to live here at all."

Yuusuke butted in before anything life-threatening happened. "Look, uh—"

"Hiei," Kurama offered.

"Look, Hiei," Yuusuke began, nodding to Kurama,"we're not trying to take advantage of Yukina or anything." Kuwabara looked mortified at the thought. "We're sorry we messed up back in Honetadare, but what's done is done, and now we're just trying to help with the cleanup."

Hiei stood up. "There is no need to help with anything. Whatever your intentions, I strongly suggest that you go." He unsheathed the sword hanging at his waist and pointed it towards the door. "Now."

Before Kuwabara or Yuusuke could react to the implied threat, Yukina had stepped between them. "Stop it," she ordered. All four young men looked mildly shocked at her assertiveness. "I don't want any fighting in here," she said. "Please be civil, if only for my sake," she pleaded.

Hiei and Kuwabara seemed to calm down a little at her words, and Yuusuke breathed a sigh of relief. Kurama, although equally grateful the situation had been defused, felt a slight twinge of…something…at Yukina's ability to soothe Hiei.

"Anyway," commenced Yuusuke,"so we all know we're here. Yukina-san told us that Hiei escaped from the dungeons," he added for clarification. "But," he glanced at Kurama,"why are _you_ here, Your Majesty?"

Kurama smiled. "There's no need to address me with a title. Call me Kurama."

Yuusuke blinked. "Uh…okay. So, why are you here, Kurama?"

"Surprisingly enough," said Kurama, "my reasons for being here actually have to do with everyone in the room, one way or another." And once again, he explained about his voluntary leave-taking of the throne and what he planned to do now.

_Strange_, he thought, telling the story, _I have no qualms about telling these strangers information I withheld from my own advisors._ Kurama wondered if it was an effect of spending so long meticulously picking his words and what he chose to divulge. It felt good, though, to trust so freely, and moreover, it felt right. In any case, if the information got back to the assembly, there was little they could do.

"Whoa," said Yuusuke when Kurama had summed up the situation. "So you're going to wander around looking for an Orb that nobody has seen for centuries. And on the advice of some old lady?"

Kurama winced. "That's putting it a little harshly, Yuusuke-san."

"But it's basically what you're doing."

"Not quite. Sosen no miko provided me with an object and a method that I could use to pinpoint the location of the Orb."

Yuusuke perked up. "Really? What?"

"This." Kurama pulled the elegantly carved Half Box from his satchel and placed it on the table.

"What does it do?" asked Kuwabara, sounding as though he expected the box to leap up and start sniffing the floor.

"The composition of the box will help locate the Orb," explained Kurama. "It has to do with energy content and some laws of nature."

"Okay…" said Yuusuke, who had never touched a book in his life and had never had any education beyond that of learning simple arithmetic. Kurama put the wooden box back into his bag. "Still seems like a big job to me."

"It is," answered Kurama.

"You'll probably need assistance."

"I already have some."

Yuusuke blinked. "Who?" Kurama nodded towards Hiei. Yuusuke looked dubious. "Well," he said, failing to sound confident,"I'm sure Hiei will be a great help, but shouldn't you get some local aid?"

Kurama was amused. "Are you inviting yourself along for the trip?"

Yuusuke waved his hands. "No, no, of course not!" He sweatdropped. "But I mean, you're going to need more people. And I can take off, and no one will miss me. And…well…" Kurama waited for the real reason. "It's kind of boring around here. Politics bore me. But if you let me come, I can be in the middle of all the action! And make a name for myself!" The black-haired teenager looked at Kurama hopefully. "And I'd be a big help too, of course."

The emperor laughed. "Come along, then, if you want." Yuusuke pumped his fist in a victory gesture.

"Hora, Urameshi can't get all the glory," interjected Kuwabara. "I know the roads around here too."

"No you don't," said Yuusuke. "The first time we came here, you said to take a left at the fruit vendor and we—"

"That was you, not me!"

"No way, I know my way around—"

Kurama coughed. The two teenagers stopped bickering. "Both of you are free to come, but…what about your families?"

Yuusuke shrugged. "Ka-san will understand. I don't see her that much anyway. And well, I'll explain to Keiko."

Kuwabara nodded. "Tou-san and Ka-san want me to get some experience in the world. Nee-san too. Shikashi…what about Yukina-san?"

Yukina blinked. "What about me?"

"Well, your brother won't be here…" he scratched the back of his head nervously. "And if we're not here, there won't be anyone to protect you."

The beautiful young woman smiled gratefully. Kuwabara's cheeks were slightly red. "Kazuma-san," she said, putting a hand over his,"thank you very much for your concern. I appreciate it. But as I said to oniisan earlier, I can take care of myself pretty well. So please don't worry." Kuwabara nodded quickly, his entire face flushed.

Kurama hid his smile behind his hand and looked over to see Yuusuke suppressing a smirk. Hiei, on the other hand, looked distinctly murderous and was directing this fiery glare at Kuwabara. Without thinking, Kurama laid a hand on Hiei's arm. To his surprise, Hiei did not pull away but instead, relaxed a little. Kurama felt an agreeable sensation run up his spine at Hiei's reaction.

"Well then," announced Yuusuke, breaking up the atmosphere. "I guess that means the four of us are going. Kuwabara and I have to go back and get some supplies and talk to our families."

Kurama nodded in agreement. "How much time will you need?"

"Two days, maybe."

"That's fine. Can you meet us at the city gate in two days' time then?"

Yuusuke nodded and then turned to Kuwabara. "We should go now."

Kuwabara agreed reluctantly, and the two of them thanked Yukina for her hospitality, collected their things and proceeded to leave. Yukina and Kurama waved them off, Hiei in the background. When they were out of sight, Yukina turned to the redhead. "It looks like you've completed your first task, Kurama-san."

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anou- uh…/um…

sou- I see.

dakara- so/therefore

gomen nasai- sorry

oniisan- brother

arigatou- thank you

hora- hey/look here (as in "Look here, buddy, I have no money" kind of 'look here')

ka-san- mother

tou-san- father

nee-san- older sister

shikashi- but

Notes: Rolling right along here. I feel like I've inserted too much character chemistry and will regret all the relationship hitches I've created. I hope not. And romance is hard to write. Reviews?

My birthday is in two days! Part of the reason I thought I'd treat you guys to a nice long chapter.


	8. As Air to Fire

**Wildfire**

Chapter eight: As Air to Fire

By Funara

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of other shadowy, rolling-in-wealth figures. I know it's a shock, but don't shoot the messenger. She's too tired to taste good when smoked on a rotisserie anyway.

Notes: It took me almost three months, but I finally got this chapter out. I'm so sorry to all my readers, but if you've stuck it out this long, I hope you're still interested. I love you guys. Merry late Christmas!

And a quick preview—this chapter contains Funara taking scientifically sound concepts and twisting them on a rack for her own purposes. Beware Kurama's long monologues, for they cause Newton and Bohr and Hooke and the rest to rotate swiftly in their graves.

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The early morning wind was strong, and Kurama tightened his grip around the clasps of his cloak. Hiei appeared unruffled, gazing steadily ahead, but Kurama knew the chilly air did not affect only him when Yukina gave an involuntary shiver.

Kuwabara and Yuusuke had promised to meet them at the city gates at sunrise. Kurama hoped they had not forgotten—he really didn't look forward to waiting in the cold for hours.

The minutes passed in silence as the three of them stood waiting. Hiei's gaze was turned towards the land ahead of them. Kurama faced the rising sun, hoping to warm himself up. Yukina alone watched the city gates.

Finally, the sounds of boots crunching on gravel prompted Yukina to focus sharply. "Oh! Yuusuke-san and Kazuma-san are here." Hiei and Kurama followed the direction of her pointed finger.

The two boys in question were approaching the trio with a bizarre mixture of exhaustion and enthusiasm on their features. Kurama thought that he has never seen two individuals with such dark shadows under their eyes grin so broadly.

"Yosh'," began Yuusuke without preamble. He popped a thumbs up to emphasize his good cheer. "Let's get this show on the road." Kurama smiled at his eagerness.

"Kazuma-san," remarked Yukina from the other side of the group, "you look so tired. What did you do yesterday?"

Kuwabara looked abashed. "Eh…well, my family threw a big party for me last night, and Urameshi came too…we were up really late." Hiei snorted. Kuwabara glared at him.

"Party or not, we should get going," said Kurama, casting a glance at the sun. "We want to get in as much travel time as possible."

"Right," agreed Yuusuke. "So say your goodbyes, everyone, and let's—"

"Matte." Everyone looked up at Hiei, who had spoken for the first time since Yuusuke and Kuwabara had arrived. "I have no intention of taking part in a wild goose chase. I don't have that sort of time." He directed his next comment towards Kurama. "Explain where we're going and how you intend to get there."

Yukina looked upset at her brother's cutting tone, but she said nothing. Yuusuke and Kuwabara looked from Hiei to Kurama, their curiosity piqued not so much by the relevant query, but by the belligerent overtones of Hiei's remarks. Kurama's first test as a leader.

The redhead contemplated Hiei for a moment before putting down the bag he carried on his shoulder and pulling out the richly grained Half Box. He held it out for all of them to see.

"I showed all of you this a few days ago," he said. "This is the Half Box. To put it simply, the Orb is attracted to it. Anyone who holds the box will feel a pull on it from the Orb."

"Enchantments?" interjected Yuusuke.

"Yes and no," replied Kurama. "It actually employs a little bit of science and little bit of magic. The principle behind the Half Box is fairly simple: every object in the world can only contain a set amount of energy. When an object exceeds its capacity, it will destroy itself in any number of ways. If it is a human, the human will die.

"Ultimately, the goal of all things, living or non-living, is to maintain a perfect equilibrium between containing enough energy to exist and containing too much energy. This principle powers every single thing that exists. Those that failed to receive enough energy could not exist; those that received too much obliterated themselves."

"The Half Box," murmured Hiei, his earlier contempt forgotten.

Kurama nodded. "The Half Box is exactly that—it is in a state of balance. However, it must be sealed in order to remain this way, because it is impossible to stop the exchange of energy any other way. For a human, it would be impossible. The best we could manage is dynamic equilibrium."

Kuwabara whistled. "That's pretty impressive."

The redhead nodded again, wanting to finish his long-winded explanation. "The only other creation that shares this quality is the Half Room, located in the god Tetsudaite's temple. Sosen no miko has assured me that that room has been sealed off, though, so only the Half Box will remain active."

Yuusuke opened his mouth to ask a question, but Kurama held up a hand. "I'm almost done; bear with me." The young man duly swallowed his query.

"All right, last part, I promise." Kurama smiled. "The most important thing about the Half Box is its ability to locate the Orb. The Orb is almost completely opposite from the Half Box—it is nearing its energy capacity, which is why it's so volatile. It needs something to accept its excess energy.

"The Half Box has the same energy capacity as the Orb, so it's the logical choice. Using the Half Box, we can locate the Orb and seal it in the Half Box. And then we can repeat the whole process to find Tetsudaite's temple and the Half Room. From there, we go to Sosen's temple."

"And then?" prompted Yuusuke.

Kurama shrugged. "That's as far as Sosen no miko outlined her ideas."

"It's still a pretty hefty task," said Kuwabara, looking a little doubtful.

"You could stay back with Yukina-san," Yuusuke suggested hopefully.

"Right, and let you take all the spoils."

Yuusuke thumbed his nose at him before traipsing off down the path. At this unspoken signal, Kuwabara turned hastily to Yukina. "Take care while we're gone, Yukina-san."

The delicate young woman smiled. "I will. Have a safe journey." Properly reassured, Kuwabara marched after Yuusuke.

"We should go before they run off without us," Kurama remarked.

"Good luck," said Yukina. "Look after each other."

The two young men nodded and departed, Kurama lifting a hand in farewell. Yukina waved back.

Before they caught up with Yuusuke and Kuwabara, Kurama fell into step with Hiei. "Did I answer your question?" he inquired innocently.

Hiei shot him a dark glance. Kurama grinned. "Yes," he muttered, turning away. Kurama's grin widened.

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They traveled as quickly and as efficiently as they could. As Kurama carried the Half Box, he led the group. The sensation of having an inanimate object exert a pull on him was strange, but he gradually became accustomed to it and became proficient in its use.

When night fell, they stopped to eat and rest. Dinner was less awkward than it could have been—Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama all made attempts at finding a common subject. By the time they'd finished eating, Kurama had learned the sleeping habits of Yuusuke's mother and the eating preferences of Kuwabara's kitten, among other things.

Afterwards, both Yuusuke and Kuwabara announced that they were tired and tramped off to find comfortable resting places. Kurama, not quite ready to go to sleep, decided that he would try to find a creek or stream to wash in.

The search did not last long, as the area was green with plant-life and therefore contained plentiful amounts of water. Kurama quickly found a shallow river away from prying eyes.

Not wanting to expose himself completely to the outside chill, the redhead only divested himself of his shirt and splashed cold water on his chest, rubbing quickly before the cold seeped in. He repeated the process for the rest of his upper body before re-donning his shirt.

Sometime later, Kurama had rolled up his pants legs and begun to wash his aching feet, feeling his body relax in the familiar routine. His gaze wandered across the broad stretch of water before settling on the reflection of the slivered moon. Glimmering in the water, it reminded him of the feeble sunlight glinting off another's sword—though truth be told, the silvery gleam across the river looked more like—

Kurama raised his head quickly, the thoughts connecting. On the far riverbank, as still and solid as stone, sat Hiei, his unsheathed sword balanced on two rocks, his shirt next to them. He did not react to Kurama's discovery of him.

Hiei met Kurama's gaze for a long moment before bending his head, dipping his hands in the water and beginning to wash himself. Kurama tipped his head, studying him, before returning to his task.

Over the course of the day, Hiei had kept himself separate from the others. With the exception of the conversation they'd had immediately after leaving Yukina, every time Kurama had tried to speak with him, he'd responded brusquely and with finality. This cold unresponsiveness was different from the quiet aloofness he had demonstrated a few days ago—or had he only misconstrued it? Kurama thought uncomfortably of his own earlier behavior—he'd touched him freely in what he had then deemed friendly conduct, but in retrospect, it looked as though he had crossed the boundaries of propriety.

Kurama rolled his pants legs down to his knees and trailed his feet in the surprisingly warm water. The heat radiated from Hiei's side, and Kurama glanced over to see his companion holding a steaming stone in the water. He must have heated it in fire, Kurama realized.

"That's convenient," he remarked conversationally. When Hiei looked up, Kurama indicated the rock.

"No," said Hiei, pulling the cooled stone from the water. "It is not convenient." He gathered his belongings. "It's useful." And he disappeared, leaving Kurama before he could ask what the difference was.

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The next day's atmosphere was more pressing than that of the day before—Kurama could feel the pull of the Orb on the Half Box more strongly than before, and their group moved quickly. Nightfall found them at the gates of the city Tendoru, where they decided to stay for the night. Kurama carefully restored the almost-quivering Half Box to his satchel. The Orb was close.

Yuusuke and Kuwabara took over the task of finding them an inn, while Kurama inspected the city closely, hoping to see a sign that would definitively indicate the presence of the Orb. Predictably, he found none among the faces and streets of the poorest district—where, as expected, the two boys had found the most decent inn at the cheapest price.

The old man who ran the hotel introduced himself as Suzuka and waved the group of four up the stairs, telling them to pick whatever room they wanted. Yuusuke and Kuwabara exchanged gleeful looks at having picked a place with such an easygoing owner. They chose the biggest room available and left their traveling pouches there, careful to lock the door.

Downstairs, the four young men sat down at a table, eager to order. They had not eaten well while on the road and were understandably hungry. An auburn-haired waitress approached and offered to take their order.

From then on, their luck seemed to run out. There was no sake available, and they had run out of tea an hour ago. Only two different types of vegetables were still in stock. There was no meat or fish. Finally, when the young woman confessed that they didn't even have salt, Yuusuke exploded.

"What the hell kind of place is this! You guys have nothing but water and goddamn spinach roots to eat! I'm going to—"

The waitress winced, but it was a man at another table who turned around and cut off Yuusuke's outburst. "Hey man," he slurred, "don't take it out on poor Koto. Th' whole city's like this." He passed a hand over his purple-blue mohawk before taking a swig out of a bottle.

"I thought there was no alcohol left," Yuusuke accused.

"There isn't," replied the man. "This's old grape juice. 'S closest I could get." He put the bottle down sadly. "Doesn't have the same effect, but if I pretend long enough, it almost feels like it." He extended a hand. "I'm Chuu. Who're you fellas?"

Chuu nodded and shook each of their hands as they introduced themselves. "Travelers, huh," he said thoughtfully. "Well, you came to Tendoru at a bad time. We haven't had supplies in five weeks."

"Why not?" asked Kurama.

"Monks," said Chuu succinctly. "See, we don't have the best growing conditions here, so we need to import a lot of our stuff. We get caravans every two weeks or so, bringing us stuff. Lately, though, none of them have ever made it into the city—they're being attacked."

"Monks did this?" Hiei asked in disbelief. Kurama was pleased to see that even he was interested.

"Yeah," replied the mohawked man. "It's hard to believe—I mean, we've always done well with the monastery near by. They protect us, and we sell them food at good prices. But recently, they've been attacking our supply wagons, and nobody knows why." He shrugged and took a long draught. "Just gotta stick it through. An armed caravan's supposed to be coming through soon, so we might get supplies. But in the meantime, those spinach roots aren't that bad y'know…"

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Hours later, the four of them lay in their room. Chuu had eaten with them, regaling them with stories, and they'd enjoyed themselves for the most part.

Upstairs, however, away from the noise of the barroom, Kurama felt something nagging at him. Chuu had something that had seemed familiar—no supplies…caravans…monks…spinach roots…Kurama felt his eyelids close. Monks…monks and the Orb…

Kurama slept fitfully. Monks dressed in black cloaks and carrying gleaming daggers repeatedly insisted that he'd stolen something from them, but when he denied it, they refused to believe him and set him high atop a mountain of sticks. The roaring of the crowd was deafening as the executioner threw a fiery stone into the heap, and the whole place was awash in grisly firelight…

He jerked awake before the flames could reach him, but he could still hear the shouts of the crowd and see the shimmering flame-light. When moments passed and the visions did not fade, Kurama realized something was wrong—there really _was_ shouting going on. He threw off his covers and hastened to the window and looked out. Below him, the street was aglow with the light of torches, and he could hear the yelling of the angry crowd. A riot, it looked like.

Kurama woke the others. When they'd shaken off the fog of sleep, he pointed towards the window and allowed them to see for themselves what was going on. They lost little time in grabbing their possessions and hurrying downstairs.

The dining room was almost completely empty. Kurama hurried to Suzuka, who was methodically cleaning glasses. "What's happened?"

The old man straightened his brown vest before looking Kurama in the eye. "The armed caravan was destroyed just outside the city gates. The monks set fire to it."

"Holy shit," muttered Kuwabara.

"Are those people planning to get revenge?" Kurama demanded.

"I suppose so," remarked Suzuka. "I don't plan on getting involved." And he continued cleaning his glasses.

The four of them hastened outside and were greeted by an enormous crowd of torchbearers, all of them headed towards the city gates. "Stay together!" shouted Kurama, but it was too late. Yuusuke and Kuwabara had bolted into the first opening in the crowd they'd seen, and effectively disappeared. Kurama cursed.

A moment later, things got progressively worse. Hiei darted into the mass of rioters, and Kurama was forced to follow him, unwilling to lose all his companions. He'd taken scarcely a few steps, though, before a rumbling explosion sounded in the distance, and a brilliant bright light burst from the horizon.

—to be continued—

Yosh'—shortening of "yoshi"; Okay!; All right!

Matte—wait

Notes: And you thought science was pointless. If any of you guys have studied chemistry or physics, you should recognize some of the principles I twisted here. Energy quanta make an explicit appearance, while ionic bonds flit around in the background. :)

Y'know, I thought this chapter was going to be a lot longer. Sorry!

Review!


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